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The Station nightclub fire

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"48 Hours": Club owners open up about one of the deadliest nightclub fires in the U.S.

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Jack Russell speaks out on the Station Nightclub Fire Ten Years Later

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The Station nightclub fire

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Model of the evacuation of the Station Nightclub fire using BDI agents

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Station Nightclub Owners Tell Their Side Of Story On 48 Hours

The Station nightclub fire occurred on Thursday, February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 100 people and injuring 230. The fire was caused by pyrotechnics set off by the tour manager of the evening's headlining band Great White, which ignited plastic foam used as sound insulation in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. The blaze reached flashover within one minute, causing all combustible materials to burn. Intense black smoke engulfed the club in 5½ minutes. Video footage of the fire shows its ignition, rapid growth, the billowing smoke that quickly made escape impossible, and blocked egress that further hindered evacuation. The toxic smoke, heat, and the resulting human crush toward the main exit killed 100; 230 were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured. Many of the survivors developed posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of psychological trauma.