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October 31, 2007

Station fire defendants will pay about $20 million

Two additional defendants have reached a tentative agreement with victims of the 2003 Station nightclub fire.

Polar Industries and The Home Depot have agreed to pay $5 million, according to Mark Mandell, a lawyer for dozens fire victims.

Along with $1 million that the court registry is holding from Great White's insurance company, the total amount of settlement money that couild be awarded to the group is now $19.5 million.

U.S. District Judge Ronald R. Lagueux today appointed Duke University Law Prof. Francis E. McGovern to oversee the distribution of money among the more than 300 victims who filed suit seeking damages related to the fire.

In a surprise move announced by Mandell, McGovern has agreed to work with the victims for no cost beyond incidental expenses.

Read projo.com's Station fire coverage

One hundred people died and more than 200 were injured in the Feb. 20, 2003 fire that began when a pyrotechnics display inside the club during a Great White concert.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Tracy Breton

The additional defendants who have tentatively agreed to settlements so far are:

Luna Tech Inc., of Alabama - and two of its European subsidiaries - which the lawsuits contend manufactured the pyrotechnics used by Great White the night of the Station fire.

High Tech Special Effects Inc., a Tennessee company that is alleged to have sold the fireworks used by Great White at the club the night of the fire.

Celotex Corp., which manufactured SoundStop board and then sold it for distribution to consumers. According to the lawsuits, the Derderians purchased SoundStop for their nightclub from Home Depot and then installed it in the ceiling of the drummer's alcove and elsewhere inside The Station.

Triton Realty and Raymond Villanova, owners of the building on Cowesett Avenue where The Station was located.

Joseph LaFontaine, of Warwick, owner of New England Custom Alarms, the company that installed the fire alarm system at the club when it was owned by Howard Julian, before the Derderians bought it.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:05 PM | Permalink

October 31, 2007

Station fire defendants will pay about $20 million

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