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Great White singer Jack Russell, who survived nightclub fire that killed 100 people, dead at 63

Jack Russell, the lead singer of the heavy metal band Great White and a survivor of the tragic Station Nightclub fire, passed away on Thursday at the age of 63, according to various media outlets. As reported in an obituary by Rolling Stone, Russell succumbed to complications from Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy (MSA). He had disclosed in July that he was stepping back from touring due to these diagnoses.

The Station Nightclub fire, which occurred in West Warwick, Rhode Island, remains one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history, claiming 100 lives and injuring over 200 people. The blaze broke out during Great White's performance when a band manager set off pyrotechnics that ignited the foam soundproofing lining the walls of the club. The highly flammable foam caused the fire to spread rapidly, leaving many concertgoers trapped inside.

Russell, who survived the fire, found himself at the center of controversy in the aftermath. While he was never charged, Daniel Biechele, the band's road manager responsible for setting off the pyrotechnics, and the club's owners, Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, faced criminal charges. All three were charged with 100 counts of manslaughter—Biechele pleaded guilty, while the Derderians entered no contest pleas. Biechele and Michael Derderian were sentenced to four years in prison but were both released early. Jeffrey Derderian received a sentence of community service.

Great White was also involved in civil lawsuits that culminated in a $176 million settlement distributed to the survivors and the families of those who perished. In 2013, as the 10th anniversary of the fire approached, Russell announced plans to host a benefit concert in California, intending to donate the proceeds to the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, which aimed to create a memorial at the fire site. However, the foundation declined his donation, expressing that it did not want to accept funds from him.

In a 2016 interview with a Portland radio station, Russell reflected on the incident, revealing that although he wanted to publicly address the tragedy, his legal team advised him against apologizing, fearing it might be interpreted as an admission of guilt.

At the time, some relatives of those who perished in the Station Nightclub fire questioned Jack Russell's expressions of remorse. During a candid interview, Russell, who was never criminally charged in connection with the tragedy, pointed fingers at the town fire inspector, accusing him of negligence for failing to cite the club owners over the use of flammable foam as soundproofing material on the walls and ceiling.