Victims remembered on 21st anniversary of deadly Rhode Island nightclub fire

Today is the somber anniversary of one of deadliest nightclub fires in the country.

The Station nightclub fire occurred on the evening of February 20, 2003, at The Station, a nightclub and hard rock music venue in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 100 people and injuring 230.

During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage.

The fire spread quickly along the ceiling area over the dance floor. Smoke was visible in the exit doorways in a little more than one minute, and flames were observed breaking through a portion of the roof in less than five minutes. Egress from the nightclub, which was not equipped with sprinklers, was hampered by crowding at the main entrance to the building.

Within six minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames.

Of the fatalities, 95 were due to the inability of the occupants to evacuate before being overcome by the conditions.

The fire was the deadliest fireworks accident in U.S. history and the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. It was also the second-deadliest nightclub fire in New England, behind the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire.

The names of the victims courtesy of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation:

Abbie L. Hoisington

Albert A. DiBonaventura

Alfred Carmino Crisostomi

Andrea (Jacavone) Mancini

Andrew R. Hoban

Benjamin Joseph Suffoletto Jr.

Beth Ellen Mosczynski

Bonnie L. Hamelin

Bridget Marie Sanetti

Carlos Louis Pimentel Sr.

Carlton “Bud” Howorth III

Charline Elaine Gingras-Fick

Christina DiRienzo

Christopher “Chris” Prouty

Christopher G. Arruda

Dale Latulippe

Daniel John ”Dan” Fredrickson

Dennis Smith

Derek Brian Johnson

Derek J. Gray

Dina DeMaio

Donald Roderiques

Donna M. Mitchell

Edward Bradley Corbett III

Edward E. ”Ed” Ervanian

Eric James Hyer

Eugene Michael “Gino” Avilez

Everett T. “Tommy” Woodmansee III

James C. “Jimmy” Gahan IV

James F. “Jimmy” Gooden Jr.

Jason R. Morton

Jason R. Sylvester

Jeffrey Scott “Jeff” Rader

Jeffrey W. Martin

John Michael Longiaru

Joseph E. “Joe” Rossi

Jude Henault

Judith I. Manzo

Karla Jean Bagtaz

Katherine “Katie” O’Donnell

Keith A. Mancini

Keith R. Lapierre

Kelly Lynn Vieira

Kevin Anderson

Kevin J. Dunn

Kevin R. Washburn

Kristen Leigh McQuarrie

Kristine Carbone

Laura Gillett

Laureen M. ”Laurie” (DeSantis) Beauchaine

Leigh Ann Moreau

Linda Dee Suffoletto

Lisa D’Andrea

Lisa Jean Kelly

Lori K. Durante

Louis S. Alves

Mark Adam Fontaine

Mary H. Baker

Mathew P. Darby

Matthew James “Matt” Pickett

Melvin A. Gerfin

Michael A. Fresolo

Michael Cordier

Michael Hoogasian

Michael Joseph Kulz

Mike Gonsalves

Mitchell C. Shubert

Nicholas “Nick” O’Neill

Pamela Gruttadauria

Rachel Florio-DePietro

Rebecca E. “Becky” Shaw

Richard A. Cabral Jr.

Robert Daniel “Bob” Young

Robert J. Croteau

Robert L. Reisner III

Ryan M. Morin

Samuel J. “Sam” Miceli Jr.

Sandy Hoogasian

Sarah Jane Telgarsky

Scott S. Griffith

Shawn Patrick Sweet

Skott C. Greene

Stacie Angers

Stephen M. Libera

Steve Mancini

Steven Thomas Blom

Tammy Mattera-Housa

Theresa L. “Terry” (Serpa) Rakoski

Thomas A. Barnett

Thomas Frank Marion Jr.

Thomas J. ”Tom” Fleming

Thomas P. Medeiros

Tina Ayer

Tracey Romanoff

Tracy F. King

Ty Longley

Victor Stark

Walter “Waldo” Rich

William Cartwright

William Christopher “Billy” Bonardi III