Station Nightclub Fire | Pyrotechnics | 1
32:47 Share

Hi, this is Lindsey Graham, host of American Scandal. Our back catalog has moved behind a paywall. Recent episodes remain free, but older ones will require a Wondery Plus subscription. With Wondery Plus, you get access to the full American Scandal archive, ad-free, plus early access to new seasons and more. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. It's May 2003 in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

Gina Russo lies in a bed, staring vacantly up at the ceiling. She can hear the machines next to her, beeping away as they measure her vital signs. And she knows her sister Stephanie is in the room because she can hear her voice. But she can't make out the words. And what she can understand doesn't make any sense. When Russo first woke up in the hospital, Stephanie mentioned that Russo's son Alex had a baseball game and Russo was confused. There's no baseball in February.

But Stephanie explained that it was May, that Russo had been in a coma. Now, as Stephanie keeps talking, Russo tries to focus, but it's like her sister is talking through cotton. She catches Stephanie saying, Nicholas, that's the name of Russo's other son. She desperately wants to pay attention, to engage, to hear how her kids are doing. They're only nine and six, but she's been away from them for so long and she feels so foggy. Her doctors say it's all because of the pain medication she's on.

So Russo takes a breath and tries to concentrate. She reminds herself what she knows. She knows that three months ago, she went to a concert at a nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. She knows that there was a fire and that she was severely burned. She also knows that her doctors put her in a coma and that when she woke up one week ago, it was suddenly May. She knows these facts, but they feel hazy and unreal, like all of this happened to someone else.

And then suddenly, an urgent question rushes to her mind. She needs to know where her fiancé Fred Chrysostomy is. She remembers going to the club with him. Fred was the one who insisted they needed to leave when the fire broke out. But she hasn't seen him since she woke up. No one is talking about him.

Russo licks her lips and prepares to talk. Because while she was in a coma, she had a tube down her throat. The doctors have removed it, but it's still difficult to speak. Where's Fred? Gina? What was that? Gina? You say something? Where's Fred? I'm so sorry. You're hard to understand. Where is Fred?

Russo can see that her sister has heard her and understood her, but she's not answering. Stephanie, it's okay. You can tell me. Is he in a coma? No, he's not in a coma. And where is he? Gina, you know, there's nowhere Fred would rather be than by your side. Where is he? Oh, Gina, Fred didn't make it. What do you mean? He didn't make it out of the building. He died in the fire. How could that happen? He was right behind me.

We don't know how any of it happened. We're just lucky you got out. A lot of families weren't so fortunate. How many? Nearly a hundred people died that night. Russo stares straight ahead in shock, trying to absorb what her sister has said. But it doesn't make sense. She can't believe that her fiancé is dead. He was the lover of her life, and now he's gone. All because they went to a concert.

From Wondery, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American Scandal.

On the evening of February 20th, 2003, a dispatcher received an urgent call about a fire that had broken out at the Station nightclub in West Woolrick, Rhode Island. Firefighters rushed to the scene. But when the first truck arrived, only five minutes later, the club was already almost completely engulfed in flames. The firefighters were shocked. Modern-era building codes are supposed to prevent fires from spreading that rapidly. But there was no time for questions.

The firefighters worked through the night trying to control the blaze and save the people inside. But there was little they could do. The building was reduced to a smoldering pile of ash and 100 people died. More than 200 were severely injured and a close-knit community was left devastated.

As investigators searched for answers about what had made the fire so destructive, they discovered there was no single cause. Instead, a series of errors and poor decisions had turned that night's rock concert into a death trap. And soon it became clear that the criminal justice system wasn't equipped to deal with the fallout from this deadly accident, leaving many of the victims and their family members feeling like justice was never served. This is Episode 1, Pyrotechnics.

It's spring 2000 in West Warwick, Rhode Island, three years before the station nightclub fire. 52-year-old Barry Warner is on his screened-in back porch with one of his two sons, enjoying one of the warmest days they've had all year. As they chat, something catches Warner's attention, though. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees two men poking their heads around the corner of his house. Barry Warner is on his screened-in back porch with one of his two sons, enjoying one of the warmest days they've had all year.

Warner turns to face them. They're clean-cut and dressed respectably, so he suspects they're door-to-door salesmen. Warner is in sales himself, so while he's always wary of people trying to sell him things he doesn't want, he also understands it's how people make their living. So Warner speaks up and asks the two men if he can help them with anything.

The older of the two men introduces himself as Michael Derdarian, and the man next to him is his younger brother, Jeffrey. They recently purchased the nightclub next door to Warner's house, and they come by to chat about the noise situation. For Warner, this is a welcome first. Over the past 10 years or so, he and his wife have lodged dozens of noise complaints against the club, but the previous owners always ignored them.

So night after night, year after year, Warner and his family have been kept awake by thumping bass and screaming guitars. So the fact that these new owners are at least making an effort feels like progress. Warner invites the two brothers onto the porch and offers them a seat. Well, I appreciate you come over to talk about this. Your predecessors never even bothered.

Michael, the older brother, nods sympathetically. Yeah, we understand that the noise from the club has been a problem for the whole neighborhood. And we really want to come up with a solution that works for everyone. What do you have in mind? Well, to start, we'd be happy to pay for an air conditioning unit for your bedroom.

That way, in the summer, you can keep your windows shut. At least keep some of the noise out that way. Well, respectfully, I already have an air conditioner unit in my bedroom, and closing the window doesn't really help. The problem is about how much sound gets out of the club, not how much gets into my house. Yeah, well, at the very least, we'd like to give you our own personal phone number. So if you do ever have a complaint, you can reach out directly to us. We don't have to get the police involved.

Michael and his brother hand over their business cards and Warner glances down at them. I mean, this is fine, and thank you, but we need some other solutions.

Back in the day, I used to play saxophone, you know, even played in clubs from time to time. And at some of the venues we'd go to, they'd drape these thick curtains behind the stage. That cut the sound quite a bit. Yeah, we can definitely look into that. Another thing that might work is foam. Foam, huh? Yeah, I work for the American Foam Company. I'm a salesman there. Some of the foam we sell is for soundproofing. Oh, like in recording studios? Yeah, exactly.

Michael exchanges a look with his brother and then turns back to Warner. It's not a bad idea. I mean, I guess we should call you then. Oh, you know, just to be clear, I'm not trying to pitch anything here. It's just an option. There are a lot of other companies out there. I've even heard of places building false walls to cut the sound. Another great idea. You've given us a lot to think about. Well, I've spent a lot of nights imagining ways to deaden the sound coming out of that club. Oh, man, not bad. Our commitment to you, though, is that hopefully those days are behind you.

I appreciate it. The two men nod, and as they turn to leave, Warner looks over the business cards once again. He's feeling optimistic that these new owners are serious about making changes to the club, changes that might actually have an impact. The Derderians seem like genuine neighbors, or at least a real improvement over the previous owner. And that gives him hope that someday soon he might be able to rest a little easier.

Despite appearances, the Dadarian brothers were not visiting Warner to be good neighbors. They were visiting because they had to. After they purchased the club, the West Warwick chief of police told the Dadarians that he would block them from holding live events unless they figured out a way to stop the noise complaints. Barry Warner alone had lodged more than 100 of them, so there was no way around it. The brothers would have to do something to soundproof their club.

But after their conversation with Warner, the brothers see an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. If they buy foam from Warner's company, they can earn some goodwill with the club's most vocal neighbor and solve the neighborhood noise issue in the process. So in June 2000, Michael Derdarian faxes an order for sound foam to bury Warner's attention at the American Foam Corporation.

The Derderians are proud of their solution to the sound problem, especially because neither of them has any experience running a nightclub. They're not even quitting their day jobs to do this. The club is part side hustle, part contingency plan for the brothers. They grew up in a modest neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. Michael started his career at Merrill Lynch and is now an independent financial advisor, while Jeffrey worked his way up the ranks as a TV news reporter and is now working for a local station after a stint in Boston.

But after covering the shooting at Columbine High School the previous year, Jeffrey was starting to feel burned out. So he convinced his brother that they should start a business together, something that would serve as a soft landing if he decides he can't handle the stress of reporting anymore.

And to Michael, buying a nightclub seemed like a good idea. Jeffrey could use his media experience to help promote the club, and Michael could handle the finances. So they both agreed to put in a bid on a venue in West Warwick called The Station. And in March 2000, they purchased the club. Then, over the next several months, they take steps to revamp their new business. They commission a mural for the outside of the building, depicting portraits of classic rock musicians, including Elvis Presley, Ozzy Osbourne, and Jimi Hendrix.

And to appease the chief of police and prevent future noise complaints, they cover the walls around the stage with foam to muffle the sound. And every night, one of the Derdarians is almost always on site to keep an eye on things. But during the day, manager Kevin Beese is in charge of running the club. He oversees the cleanup crews and alcohol shipments, as well as the club's annual fire inspections.

So when West Warwick Fire Inspector Dennis LaRock knocks on the club's door one afternoon in December 2002, Beas is the one there to greet him. He welcomes LaRock inside and then guides the inspector towards the stage at the back of the club, keeping up an easy banter as they walk.

This is not the first time LaRock has visited the station. Following a request from Michael Jardarian two years earlier, he increased the building's maximum capacity from 358 people to 404. But last time LaRock visited the club about a month ago, he cited them for a fire code violation. And today, he's here to see if it's been addressed.

The issue stemmed from an exit door off to the right of the stage. According to LaRock, because the door swung inward, it posed a fire hazard. If club patrons had to evacuate during an emergency, an inward swinging door could easily get blocked by people trying to escape. So in preparation for this inspection, Beas had two of his employees remove the door entirely.

So today, Beast watches as LaRock examines the now-empty portal where the door used to be. Just beyond it, there's an exterior door that swings outward, so Beast feels fairly confident he's done what's needed to pass inspection. But sometimes the fire inspectors like to nitpick, so he's taking nothing for granted. LaRock looks at the door and scribbles some notes on his clipboard, flips to another piece of paper, then flips back, looks Beast in the eyes, and then tells him that the station has passed inspection.

Beast thanks LaRock for his time and then escorts him out of the club. Then Beast watches the inspector walk back to his car and drive away. As soon as he's sure that LaRock has left, Beast turns back into the club, flags down his employees, and tells them to put the door back up. The employees look confused, but Beast explains that this door is lined with soundproofing foam so they have to keep it in place, otherwise they're sure to draw noise complaints. And the Derderians have told him that their number one priority is keeping the neighbors happy.

One more noise complaint and the police could shut down the club. The employees nod and then head off to retrieve the door from the storage room where they stashed it. And as Beast heads behind the bar to set up for the evening customers, he feels good about clearing the first major hurdle of the day. But there's always another problem lurking around the corner. As much as Beast loves this station, sometimes it feels like it's held together by chewing gum and wishful thinking, always on the brink of collapse.

The station has a solid set of regulars who treat the club like an extension of their family. They even help out selling merchandise, taking tickets, and running the soundboard in exchange for a free ticket or beer. But despite the Derderians' initial optimism, the club is barely breaking even. The usual bookings of local cover bands don't draw large crowds, and the place has only had two sold-out shows since the Derderians took over, and there have been many occasions where the brothers have had to dip into their own pockets to make payroll.

But in February 2003, a much bigger band than usual is scheduled to play, unlike most of the acts that come through the station. This upcoming booking is Jack Russell's Great White, featuring some of the original members of veteran hard rock act Great White, who had top hits in the 80s like Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Rock Me, and Save Your Love.

And when 42-year-old Gina Galvin hears about the show, she's elated. Great White has always been one of her favorite bands, alongside other groups like Motley Crue and Guns N' Roses. And though Great White have not had a hit in years, Galvin never lost her love for the wild style and twisted musicians of her youth. So nothing in the world would make her happier than to see this show, but she's not sure she can make it.

A lot in her life has changed since Great White's heyday. A string of failed relationships have left her a single mom to three kids. She's able to make a living breeding pet reptiles, but money is tight. Between the cost of the ticket and the time away from her kids, Govind wonders if she can really afford to go. But then a feeling of resolve comes over her. She may be a middle-aged mom now, but she still deserves a night out. So as long as she can get some help with the kids, she'll figure out a way to make this work.

Galvin picks up the phone, dials her parents. And when her mother says the kids are welcome to stay over that night, Galvin pumps her fists in triumph. She's going to see great white, and it will be a night to remember.

American Scandal is sponsored by CookUnity. For millions of Americans, myself included, one of the most common and frustrating questions is what's for dinner? We're too busy, too swamped at work, too caught up with the kids, they're just too tired to think through a proper menu, let alone the shopping and cooking. One easy solution is to order delivery, but that's expensive.

not always the healthiest. Another easy solution is CookUnity. Imagine a meal service where menus are crafted by award-winning, professional chefs using local, seasonal ingredients sent to your doorstep fresh, not frozen. Knowing I'd be out of town, I sent CookUnity meals to Molly, one of my employees, to try.

She said, Molly also found a favorite new chef. Many of the meals she loved were created by Santiago Lopez, whose authentic Mexican flavors come from 25 years of cooking in kitchens in Mexico and New York.

And this is the sort of personal connection to the food that has me looking forward to my own CookUnity delivery. Reset your routine with convenient, mouth-watering meals crafted with local ingredients by award-winning chefs. Go to CookUnity.com slash A-S or enter code A-S before checkout for 50% off your first week. That's 50% off your first week by using code A-S or going to CookUnity.com slash A-S.

He was hip-hop's biggest mogul, the man who redefined fame, fortune, and the music industry. The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sean Diddy Combs!

Diddy built an empire and lived a life most people only dream about. Everybody know ain't no party like a Diddy party, so. Yeah, that's what's up. But just as quickly as his empire rose, it came crashing down. Today I'm announcing the unsealing of a three-count indictment charging Sean Combs with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, interstate transportation for prostitution.

I was up. I hit rock bottom, but I made no excuses. I'm disgusted. I'm so sorry. Until you're wearing an orange jumpsuit, it's not real. Now it's real. From his meteoric rise to his shocking fall from grace, from law and crime, this is the rise and fall of Diddy. Listen to the rise and fall of Diddy exclusively with Wondery+.

When Great White's tour bus rolls into West Warwick on February 19, 2003, it causes a stir. This small city isn't the type of place that draws a lot of rock stars or celebrities, or even that many tourists. It was once the industrial center of Rhode Island, but the local textile mills started closing down in the 1950s, moving to locations with cheaper labor and taking jobs with them.

By 2003, the unemployment rate in West Warwick is high. Many residents who do work live paycheck to paycheck. So on the morning of Thursday, February 20th, when local construction worker Rick Sinetti spots a group of men with long hair and black leather jackets walking into his local Denny's, he's intrigued.

The men don't look like the rest of the restaurant's clientele, and were mostly dressed in their heavy-duty work jackets. And there's something about the guy in the middle of the group, wearing a bandana over his dirty blonde hair that looks familiar, but Sneddy can't place him. He watches the men settle into a booth nearby, then asks his friends if they recognize any of them. But no one knows for sure. They know they're not from around town, and based on the look of them, everyone suspects they're a rock and roll band.

Zanetti decides he's going to find out for sure. And if they're big time, maybe he'll ask for an autograph. So Zanetti takes one last bite of his hash browns, washes it down with a swig of coffee, and then approaches the long-haired men just as the waiter finishes taking their order. Hey, excuse me, sorry to bother you, but I gotta ask, are you guys in a rock band?

The blonde guy with the bandana looks up at Sneddy and grins. What gave it away? The leather? I knew it. What's the band? Have I heard of you? You ever heard of Great White?

Zanetti's eyes go wide. No way. Once bitten, twice shy? That's you guys? That's us. I knew I recognized you from somewhere. You're Jack Russell. Yeah, that's me. This is amazing. I was a huge fan back in the day. You know, I even stole a few lines from your song Save Your Love for a note to my girlfriend. Did she like it? Well, she's my wife now, so, you know...

Well, congratulations, man. That's great. We're playing a show tonight at the station. You know about it? Yeah, on Coeset Avenue. Well, you and your wife should come. We'll dedicate Save Your Love to you guys. Oh, seriously? My wife will be so excited. No, absolutely. You should come.

Russell points to a young man with long blonde hair at the other end of the booth. Tell Dan here your name and he'll make sure you're on the guest list. Oh, this is incredible. I can't thank you enough. But there's one more thing. My niece recently moved in with us. She's 25, working her butt off in school on Thanksgiving.

I think she could use a night out. Would it be okay if we brought her with us? Yeah, man, of course. Tell her to bring a friend. The more the merrier. Oh, this is so nice. You're amazing. Thank you so much. It's no problem, man. And we'll see you tonight. It's going to be a killer show. Sinetti turns away from the booth and thinks, it's only 9 a.m., but he's already having a great day. He can't wait to get home to tell his wife that he just met the guys from Great White and they put them on the guest list for their show.

But Zanetti decides he's not going to tell her about the dedication during Save Your Love. He wants that to be a total surprise when singer Jack Russell says her name. Zanetti knows she's going to love it. Rick Zanetti and his family aren't the only people in town to benefit from the generosity of Great White's lead singer, Jack Russell.

As Russell goes about his day, he adds several more people to the guest list, including some of the housekeepers at his hotel, a couple of students who interview him for the college radio station, and a tattoo artist who does some ink for Russell a few hours before the show. Meanwhile, the staff at the station is busy getting ready for the big night. They're expecting strong attendance, and not only because they have a band with a national reputation playing,

About two weeks earlier, a blizzard hit West Warwick, so everyone in town has been cooped up. The Derderian brothers and their staff are hoping that people will be eager to leave their houses and cut loose a bit.

so the anticipation builds as the day progresses. Budweiser runs a promotion and announces it'll give away some free beer at the club. And a local radio station runs several ads promoting a fun night out with prizes while Great White performs. The radio station is also sending popular DJ Dr. Metal to emcee the events, along with interns to hand out free merchandise to the audience.

But when Jeffrey Derdarian arrives at the station that night, the place is still pretty empty. Great White isn't slated to take the stage until 11 p.m., so the club owner is relieved to have some time to collect himself before things really get going. He's already put in a full day of work at the news station, and tonight he'll be working at the club until closing time, which is usually around 2 a.m. These long work days have been taxing on Jeffrey and his family.

He often feels depleted and guilty for missing so much time with his wife and four-year-old twin sons. Jeffrey knows he won't have to pull double duty much longer. Only last week, the Derderian brothers signed paperwork to sell the station. They're still waiting for the town to approve the transfer, but already Jeffrey feels like a giant weight has been lifted. Once the sale goes through, he'll be able to spend more time with his kids and be the fully present parent they deserve. But he also can't help but feel sad about the sale.

Looking around the club and all the regulars he's come to know by name, he's struck by how much they've come to mean to him in just a few short years.

Jeffrey and his brother put one regular, Andrea Mancini, in charge of collecting tickets at the door, while her husband Steve is on stage playing with one of the opening bands. Then there's David Scooter Stone, who used to operate the stage lights as a hobby until Jeffrey and Michael insisted on paying him $50 a show. There's also the other regulars, who they haven't drafted into working but still show up almost every night simply because they love listening to live music at the station.

Jeffrey knows he'll miss them and feels that in some ways he's leaving a second family behind. But there's no time to dwell on those emotions, especially tonight when he's not only overseeing the club, but also producing a news segment. Jeffrey looks around for his colleague, Channel 12 News videographer Brian Butler, and waves him over to the bar. With a tripod slung over his shoulder, Butler heads over, and Jeffrey calls out to one of the club's bouncers, Tracy King, and asks him to come join them.

King lumbers over with a big smile, and Jeffrey's struck by the realization that he's never seen King without a smile on his face. It's another one of those things he's going to miss after the station changes hands. Jeffrey introduces Butler to King and explains that Butler is here to shoot footage of the club for a story Jeffrey's producing about crowd control at music venues in Rhode Island. King's smile slips just a bit as he asks Jeffrey if it's because of what happened in Chicago. Jeffrey confirms it is.

Two nights ago, a fight broke out there in a crowded club. A security guard tried to break up the fight with pepper spray, but the spray caused club goers to panic. In the ensuing stampede, 21 people died. So Jeffrey's doing a segment on what precautions are in place in Rhode Island to prevent such a tragedy from happening here. He's already shot footage at the Dunkin' Donuts Arena in Providence and the Rhode Island Convention Center, but he needs footage from a small music club.

Getting permission to shoot at music venues is often difficult and time-consuming, so despite the conflict of interest, Jeffrey decided to film his own club. He knows he can't be seen as promoting the station, so he reminds Butler to focus on generic-looking footage. They want shots of people dancing and drinking, laughing and talking, but they need to avoid any signage or any other identifying features of the club.

Butler nods, and Jeffrey asks King to help him find a place to set up his camera. King gives a thumbs up and then leads Butler toward the dance floor, clearing a path through the growing crowd. As they walk away, one of the club's managers approaches Jeffrey and says it's gutsy to shoot footage for a story about public safety inside the station. Jeffrey asks why, and the manager just laughs and says he hopes Jeffrey isn't jinxing them. Jeffrey smiles at the manager's joke. He's not really worried about a repeat of what happened in Chicago.

Practically everyone at the station knows each other, so fights are rare, and the club's bouncers, like Tracy King, are good at de-escalating any time things get out of hand. So as soon as Butler is finished getting his shots, Jeffrey plans to relax and enjoy the show. Now that the sale of the station is almost complete, this might be one of his last chances to experience his nightclub at full capacity.

I'm Jake Warren and in our first season of Finding, I set out on a very personal quest to find the woman who saved my mum's life. You can listen to Finding Natasha right now exclusively on Wondery Plus. In season two, I found myself caught up in a new journey to help someone I've never even met. But a couple of years ago, I came across a social media post by a person named Loti. It read in part, Three years ago today that I attempted to jump off this bridge, but this wasn't my time to go.

This is a story that I came across purely by chance, but it instantly moved me and it's taken me to a place where I've had to consider some deeper issues around mental health. This is season two of Finding and this time, if all goes to plan, we'll be finding Andy.

You can listen to Finding Andy and Finding Natasha exclusively and ad-free on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. On January 5th, 2024, an Alaska Airlines door plug tore away mid-flight, leaving a gaping hole in the side of a plane that carried 171 passengers.

This heart-stopping incident was just the latest in a string of crises surrounding the aviation manufacturing giant Boeing. In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of damning scandals and deadly crashes that have chipped away at its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX, the latest season of business wars, explores how Boeing, once the gold standard of aviation engineering,

descended into a nightmare of safety concerns and public mistrust. The decisions, denials, and devastating consequences bringing the Titan to its knees. And what, if anything, can save the company's reputation? Follow Business Wars on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge Business Wars, The Unraveling of Boeing, early and ad-free right now on Wondery+.

Even though Great White is playing smaller venues these days, rather than the arenas of their heyday, they still want to put on a great show. So they've begun to add pyrotechnics to their performances. Nothing fancy, just gerbs, which are basically oversized sparklers that shoot 15 feet in the air. But the sparks themselves are not hot, so the band can keep performing as they go off. It's a small step to help make Great White's shows more exciting and amp up the crowd.

Tour manager Daniel Beakley isn't certified to operate pyrotechnics, but he's set up and ignited gerbs on several tour stops so far with no issue. According to Rhode Island law, Beakley is supposed to have a licensed pyrotechnician coordinate with a fire marshal to use gerbs. But the band is trying to keep costs down on this tour, so Beakley is doing it all himself. Beakley unloads the gerbs from the band's tour bus and carries them inside the club in a cardboard box labeled Danger Explosives.

And just before Great White goes on, he'll place them on either side of the stage, some angle to shoot straight up and some at 45 degrees. He's talked to the station's light board operator to make sure all the lights are down when Great White takes the stage. And then, as soon as guitarist Mark Kendall hits the opening chord of the first song, Beakley will ignite the jerks. If he set them up right, the effect should be amazing, like the band is emerging from a 30-foot-wide fan of white sparks.

And while Beakley is getting ready for the show, a few miles away, house painter Fred Chrysostomy is feeling restless. He's at the home of his fiancée, Gina Russo, flipping through channels on the TV. The couple was supposed to go to a movie tonight, but they got the time wrong and missed the beginning, so they decided to come back to Russo's house. But now that they're back, Chrysostomy realizes he's not in the mood for a night on the couch.

So he clicks off the TV and turns to Russo. We need to get out of here. And do what? I don't know. We got to do something. There's nothing on. Oh, just look harder. There's a million channels. You know what there is. And I know we talked about it earlier. But I'll throw it out again. Great White's playing at the station. We could still make it. It's probably sold out. I don't want to get dressed up and drive over there in the cold for nothing. Well, just give me a second.

Chrysostomy gets up and flips through a phone book until he finds the station's number. He gives them a call. Hey, yeah, I was wondering if there were still tickets available for tonight? There are. Amazing. Thanks so much.

He hangs up and turns back to Russo with a grin. They got tickets. What do you say, baby? Great White? I don't know. It'll be a late night. I have work tomorrow. I mean, who knows when we'll get the chance to see them again. You really want to tell your grandkid someday that you could have seen Great White and you chose instead to watch some Law and Order rerun? Okay. All right. You're right. Of course we should go. Yes. But if we're going, we need to go now. I don't want to be late again tonight. Chrysostomy quickly changes and they both head out the door.

He feels relieved that they're finally getting out of the house. This kind of spontaneous outing is what living is all about, especially with a person you love. Russo and Chrysostomy arrive at the station at 10:45 p.m., 15 minutes before Great White is scheduled to go on. They line up in the narrow corridor at the entry and purchase their tickets. Then they head into the main area of the club and it's packed. Neither of them have ever seen the station this crowded before.

They grab drinks at the bar at the back of the club, where Jeffrey Derdarian is busy helping with orders. It's not something he usually does, but this place is so busy, it's all hands on deck. And while Jeffrey is pouring another drink, cameraman Brian Butler comes by. He tells Jeffrey he's got the footage they need for the story about public safety, but he's thinking of sticking around to shoot a couple of songs for the guys at the news station to see. Jeffrey tells him he's welcome to stay as long as he wants, and Butler thanks him and sets up his camera again to capture the stage.

Construction worker Rick Zanetti and his wife are also hanging out by the bar with their niece Bridget and their friend Katie O'Donnell. They're all still blown away that Zanetti actually spoke to Jack Russell that morning and that Russell put them all on the guest list. None of them want to miss even a minute of the show. So before it starts, Bridget and Katie head down the hallway to the ladies' room, while Chrysostomy and Russo head toward the stage with drinks in hand.

Chrysostomy leads Russo through the crowd, weaving between bodies. Even though it's packed, there's still space at the front, and Chrysostomy wants to get as close to the band as possible. They keep maneuvering until they're only a few feet from the stage, so close that the DJ, Dr. Metal, reaches down and hands Chrysostomy a hat with his radio station's logo on it. He turns to Russo and laughs that this is way better than sitting at home.

A few minutes later, reptile breeder Gina Galvin arrives. She's gotten her kids settled at her parents' house and is ready for her lone night out. Her long red hair sashays against her back as she grabs a drink at the bar and then makes her way to the stage. She grins when she sees her old friend Dr. Metal. The two of them grew up in Providence together and bonded over their love of music. She hopes he'll stick around for the show and she'll get to catch up with him after.

Then the radio station interns hop off the stage. They're all out of merch to hand out. Dr. Metal announces that it's time for what they've all been waiting for, Great White. Just after 11 p.m., the lights go out, the crowd roars, an electric guitar chord rings out, and Galvin recognizes it instantly. It's the song Desert Moon. She lets out a whoop, and suddenly sparks flare up from both sides of the stage, shooting up so high they brush the ceiling.

The stage lights come up, fully illuminating the band, and the crowd lets out another roar. Galvin is grinning ear to ear, banging her head as guitarist Mark Kendall continues the song's riffs. The drums pick up, and when Jack Russell belts out the opening lyrics, Galvin can't help but throw her fist up in the air. Then suddenly, though, Jack Russell stops singing.

He blurts out over the microphone, that's not good. And when Galvin follows his eyeline, she sees that flames are crawling up the back wall behind the drummer. Galvin quickly realizes that those flames are not part of the planned pyrotechnics display. It's a real fire. Meanwhile, Russell uncaps his water bottle and tries to douse the flames, but it doesn't do anything.

Galvin's mouth goes dry as the fire is moving fast. She decides she needs to get out of here as quickly as possible. But when she turns toward the exit, she finds herself boxed in by the crowd. Lancing back at the stage, she sees the flames spreading faster and faster. And a terrifying thought occurs to her. She might not make it out of here alive.

From Wondery, this is Episode 1 of Station Nightclub Fire for American Scandal. In our next episode, patrons and staff race to get out of the station before the entire building is engulfed in flames, and emergency crews arrive to find a scene unlike anything they've ever experienced.

If you're enjoying American Scandal, you can unlock exclusive seasons on Wondery Plus. Binge new seasons first and listen completely ad-free when you join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a survey at wondery.com slash survey.

If you'd like to learn more about the Station Nightclub Fire, we recommend the books Trial by Fire by Scott James, Killer Show by John Berylick, and From the Ashes by Gina Russo with Paul Leonardo. This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details. And while in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research.

American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham, for Airship. Audio editing by Christian Paraga. Sound design by Gabriel Gould. Music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written by Austin Rackless. Edited by Emma Cortlandt. Fact-checking by Alyssa Jung-Perry. Produced by John Reed. Managing producer, Joe Florentino. Senior producers are Andy Beckerman and Andy Herman. Development by Stephanie Jens. Executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Marsha Louis, and Erin O'Flaherty for Wondering.