Devastation...

Death toll rises in US nightclub disaster

The Rhode Island nightclub fire has now claimed at least 95 lives and injured over 180.

The death toll rose as firefighters searched through the charred shell of the single-storey wood building.

The '80s hard rock band Great White had just started playing when giant pyrotechnic sparklers on stage began shooting up and ignited the ceiling.

The entire club was engulfed in flames within three minutes, Fire Chief Charles Hall said.

Hall said the club recently passed a fire inspection, but did not have a licence for fireworks.

The building, which was at least 60 years old, was not required to have a sprinkler system because of its small size.

The fireworks were used without permission from the club, said Kathleen Hagerty, a lawyer representing club owners Michael and Jeffrey Derderian.

"No permission was ever requested by the band or its agents to use pyrotechnics at The Station, and no permission was ever given," she said.

The band's singer, Jack Russell, said the manager checked with the club before the show and the use of fireworks was approved.

Russell said a guitarist with the band was among the missing.


Story filed: 22:34 Friday 21st February 2003

Article courtesy of Annanova.com


i'm lost for words..