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November 8, 2007

Station evidence: Little new, questions remain

This photo, among almost 3,000 released by the state Attorney General's Office today, shows the flames from outside the club. It was filed as part of a folder labeled "Washington Fire Department."

PROVIDENCE -- As reporters pore through the mass of documents, photos and other files released in the fourth and final batch of evidence collected for The Station fire criminal case, at least two conclusions emerge:

One is that the review of evidence so far appears to reveal no new news about the West Warwick nightclub fire that occurred in February 2003, killing 100 people and injuring more than 200 others.

The other is that some major questions about events leading up to the blaze remain unanswered.

They include:

* Who knew about the band's plans to use pyrotechnics, which ignited the flammable foam around the stage, starting the fire?

* Who gave permission, if anyone, to use the pyrotechnics?

* Why did West Warwick Fire Marshal Denis Larocque increase the club's capacity?

* And why did he miss the flammable foam in an annual inspection of the club?

Projo.com will continue to post brief reports today on findings from the evidence release. The Journal requested the information after the three defendants in the criminal case, club co-owners Michael and Jeffrey Derderian, and band tour manager Daniel Biechele reached plea agreements instead of going to trial.

For a look at the evidence itself, visit the state Attorney General's Web site. For more about the fire and its aftermath, see projo.com's continuing special report.

-- With reports from Journal staff writers Paul Edward Parker, Mark Arsenault, Tracy Breton and Tom Mooney

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 1:56 PM | Permalink

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