#killer show

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the Station Nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI. It was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in US history and left 100 dead and 230 injured. This fire is notable for many reasons, one of them being the entire event was captured on video: WPRI cameraman Brian Butler was filming at the Station that night for, ironically, a segment on safety in public places. The video is often used for fire safety training and instruction and is readily available online, but it is extremely graphic.

For more information on this event I highly recommend Killer Show by John Barylick, which provides a comprehensive exploration of the chain of events leading up to the fire, the fire itself, and the search for evidence to hold the guilty accountable and obtain justice for the victims. For a first-hand account, Gina Russo describes losing her fiance in the fire, sustaining serious burn injuries, and moving on from the tragedy in her book From the Ashes.  Other first-hand accounts from survivors in remembrance of the 15th anniversary can be found here.