"Trial by Fire" is a book that likely will make you mad -- mad at the unnecessary and tragic loss of 100 lives; mad at the needless suffering of the injured survivors and of the families and friends of the injured and killed; mad at the irresponsible statements and actions of some journalists, who jumped to inappropriate conclusions, reported incorrect information as front page news but buried corrections deep in the newspaper so that the false information persisted in the public mind, or pursued an agenda not aimed at uncovering the truth; and mad at government officials who publicly made inappropriate and inaccurate statements that tainted the investigation, ignored or hid evidence that was potentially exculpatory or that would have provided a clearer account of what actually happened in The Station fire, who was to blame, and what mistakes were made that could be addressed in other venues to prevent similar tragedies.

While I recall hearing about The Station fire, it was not a tragedy that I knew anything about beyond the basic facts that it was a nightclub fire triggered by pyrotechnics with a high death toll. I knew nothing about the criminal or civil legal proceedings, the stories of the survivors, etc. The author does a great job of bringing the story to life through the discussion of how and why the Derderian brothers came to own The Station nightclub, the history of the building and the various businesses that had inhabited it, the noise complaints that led to the installation of what was supposed to be non-flammable "sound foam", the lives and personalities of Jeffrey Derderian, various employees and locals who helped out at events, various patrons the evening of The Station fire, some who lived and some who died, and Jack Russell's Great White (the band who was performing and set off the illegal fireworks for which they did not have permission). The author discusses the history of corruption in Rhode Island government and how that impacted the way the journalists and various government officials, including the Rhode Island Attorney General and his staff, handled the investigation into the fire and the resulting legal proceedings. He also discusses the lengthy battles to get information publicly released and the various ways that the workings of the legal system prevented the survivors and the families of the deceased from receiving the public reckoning that many wanted. Particularly inspiring are the stories of Phil Bates and Gina Russo, survivors who suffered some of the worst injuries (Gina's injuries were so bad that she was administered "last rites" due to concerns that she would not survive), but who, with the help of medical staff, supportive family and friends, and deep inner strength, were able to overcome their injuries (albeit still with visible scars and some permanent limitations), find success both personally and professionally, and become strong advocates for the survivors (especially Gina).

One of my favorite moments in the book is when the Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch gathered together the families of the victims, roughly 500 people, in a banquet room to inform them of the grand jury indictments before the indictments were made public. He announced that only the Derderian brothers and the Great White tour manager, who set off the fireworks, were being criminally charged, and he explained why it was only those three. He then opened the floor to questions (big mistake). The families were outraged that only three people were being charged -- not the band or its lead singer, not the person who installed the flammable foam, not the fire inspector who had repeatedly declared the nightclub safe even thought it was a firetrap. The best comment came from a man who noted that Lynch had gathered the families in a room that had only one exit, far away from where everyone was seated, and in which there were six windows nailed shut, so if a fast-moving fire had broken out in the room, many of the people in the room would not be able to make it out. After announcing to the Attorney General (as well as other State officials including fire marshals) that they had been gathered in a room that was a potential fire hazard, the man announced he was going out to his truck to get a screwdriver and unlock all the windows in the room. I could not help but smile and laugh when picturing this scene.

The book is certainly intense and emotional at times, but well worth reading.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Thank you Net-Galley, St. Martins Press and Author for the early copy.

Great White was my first concert in 1993.

This is a heart wrenching story. So many lives lost and so many more suffering still to this day. I feel for all the victims in this situation.

This all could have been avoided if the two giant sparklers weren't used. Who approved it? I honestly don't know if you can put the blame solidly on any certain people. The club owners, the bouncer or the band. I think everyone is partly at fault.


If you like true crime I think you will like this story

One of America's deadliest fires happened at the Station, a nightclub in Rhode Island. There was a show that night where a band decided to set off some pyrotechnics as part of their set. This started the fire and burned down the building in under 10 minutes. The fire tragically took 100 lives and severely injured many more. Although we know who started the fire, who was at fault? The owners? The band? The city?

This book takes a deep dive into the investigation of the fire and at the same time pays homage to the victims and survivors of the fire. We learn about what really happened that night and all those who played a part in the incident. We also learn why so many people died and why it was so difficult to escape. Many other questions are answered including one of the most important, how could the fire have been prevented in the first place?

I'm surprised I didn't hear as much about the fire when it happened back in 2003 considering how tragic it was so I'm glad I read this book. I felt like the book didn't necessarily point fingers at one specific person and did a good job of putting out all the information on the incident without being extremely biased. Overall, you get to come to your own conclusions while reading the book.

This was such a heartbreaking story to read about especially when you hear from the survivors of the fire and what they went through. My thoughts go out to the survivors from that night, because I can't even imagine the pain they continue to experience every single day.

I definitely recommend this book especially if you're a fan of true crime or nonfiction in general. This book covers a heavy subject that will stick with me for a very long time.

This read like a page-turner that the reader would hope was not true, but knew it was. It is practically an encyclopedia of the 2003 fire that claimed 100 lives, that read more like a thriller. The book is that well researched and that well written. James spent time talking with many people, family members and officials and even shares the story of the nightclub owners for the first time. He clearly spent a large chunk of his recent life putting this all together, in a way that strives for objectivity and compassion while allowing the stories of those who lost their lives and those injured that night to echo and reverberate to today -- teaching us safety lessons, but also to enjoy every day that we receive as a gift. This work is filled with facts and information, but delivered in a way that will grip your heart by the time you finish it. Highly recommended. I received an advance copy through Netgalley and the publisher without any obligation to return a positive review.

TRIAL BY FIRE: A Devastating Tragedy, 100 Lives Lost and a 15-Year Search for Truth by Scott James is a new nonfiction book about the horrific fire at The Station nightclub in 2003. The author uses exhaustive research and intersperses personal accounts into a work of nonfiction that reads as easily as a work of fiction. I could not put it down!

It was supposed to be a night of fun and partying watching the hair metal band Great White perform at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island. After local warm-up bands, the lights go out and suddenly the band’s road manager sets off four large pyrotechnics which catch the foam on the back wall on fire. The foam is on all of the walls and ceiling and is as effective as gasoline at spreading the fire and within seconds the inside is filled with a black fog of smoke and the entire building is engulfed in flames.

The author takes the reader through the entire tragedy and introduces the reader through family and friends accounts to some of the individuals who died that day, some of the survivor’s stories and the families of both. Then the story follows the investigations into who is responsible, while continuing to intersperse victim’s stories. The author points out the mistakes made and reported and the series of events and decisions that led to unintended consequences and the terrible number of deaths.

I was completely engrossed in this story. (I remember the terrible story when it was on the national news, but like all other news stories, unless you were personally affected it fades from your life.) Mr. James takes the reader to the very beginning and through his research and the passage of time which separates actual facts from the hype and rush to judgement immediately after an event like this, he writes a narrative that illuminates the cascade of errors made and continues to follow survivor’s stories. I believe the author does an excellent job of illuminating the truth about the good and bad of all the major players involved in this tragedy.

I highly recommend this book!

I requested this book from NetGalley mostly because I am interested in non-fiction books that look at disasters like this and have a detailed look at why it happened and what the response was. This book did not disappoint. 

At the Station nightclub in Rhode Island, a fire started that killed 100 people in 90 seconds and injured hundreds more. This was before the internet really took off and social media was a thing. Scott James looks at the incident itself, but also the response of the authorities, the community and the survivors. He takes us through the years of figuring out who was at fault for the fire and the amount of death and injuries that came from it. 

I found this such an interesting book. It took me a while to read it (I started this book in September), but that was mostly because the subject matter was quite distressing at times and I would have to put it down and go and read something light and fluffy and fictional for a while. The way it was set up meant that we didn't just follow one point of view, we went with the survivors, but also the authorities and the brothers who owned the nightclub.

This book was extensive but most of all it looked at how less than two minutes could have such a massive effect on a whole community, not just the people in the nightclub at the time. It also looked at how the response of the authorities could have such a knock-on effect on the survivors of such an incident. 

I also appreciated James looking at the culture at the time. He talked about Rhode Island and how the community was set out, which had an effect on after the fire. He talked about the corruption in the police and politics which had an effect on the trial, as well as not having social media had a effect on what information got out to people and how it affected how people saw things. The writing style was easy to digest and I found it was broken up in such a way that you didn't get bogged down in one thing as James would switch between the survivors and authorities' response. 

The author was involved in this community, not at the time, but he had many connections to the people in this book and he takes care to add footnotes when he might have some bias towards someone because he was a classmate of them or worked with them for a time. But even with this, I found this a detailed, remarkably unbiased account where he looks at what isn't a malicious incident at all, but how many people not doing their job as they were meant to, could have a such a catastrophic effect. 

I knew nothing about this incident before this book (I live in the UK and I was eight at the time) but I really appreciated reading this book. This was definitely a really interesting, well-written book and I would recommend it. 

5 stars!

This is the story of the fire in the Station Nightclub in West Warwick, RI. It is famous. It is so famous, that it was discussed when I went through training as a fire warden in our office building.

James is meticulous about looking at all sides of this tragedy. Over 100 people died and really shouldn’t have. It could mostly have been prevented. He carefully looks at how the Derderian brothers, the club’s co-owners were blasted from all sides for the fire.

He takes a look at the impact of the fire on specific people and how they coped. He looked at the impact on the Derderians and their families. He also looked at where authorities cut corners and where they dug down.

He also shows how the fire resulted in improved fire codes for new and existing facilities.

Some of this is technical, but it mostly about people. I felt it was a good read.

I was only familiar with The Station nightclub fire in a very peripheral way. But, from the very first page, author Scott James grabs your attention and brings home this tragedy HARD. He makes you understand the horror of the fire - the lives lost, the lives forever changed - in a very relatable way:

"It takes ninety seconds to sing "The Star Spangled Banner." Human beings, on average, can hold their breath for up to ninety seconds. A typical person needs ninety seconds to read one page of this book. [...] in ninety seconds nearly everyone inside The Station nightclub was dead or dying."

Rhode Island - at 37 x 48 miles in size - is the sort of place where everyone has only a few degrees of separation. Scott James, a New England native, knew several of the people involved in the fire, and many people later learned just how many friends and acquaintances were affected by the tragedy. For a country only 500+ days past the horror of 9/11, this tragedy opened fresh wounds and memories.

The story is meticulously researched, but on the most basic level, James writes of gut-wrenching moments of heroism, cowardice, and courage; of death and loss and heartstopping pain. I had a hard time reading parts of the book, first because of sorrow and then anger as the blame game starts. The owners are immediately vilified, the soundproofing foam ordered for use in the club was actually another - flammable - foam, Great White's lead singer Jack White acted despicably and in the end there was a resolution, but the devil is in the details.

The author skillfully details the fire and its aftermath, as well as the personal loss, and I highly recommend this book. 5 stars for "Trial by Fire."

I love a good true crime/nonfiction novel, and I think that Trial by Fire has been my favorite non-fiction novel of the year!

Scott James clearly did years worth of research to write his book. Everything was very well researched, and I think he did a great job piecing everything together, so that it flowed through the pages. Sometimes, nonfiction writers focus so much on one thing, that it makes it hard to connect all of the dots.

I vaguely remember this story (I was a little over 10 YO at the time), and while reading this book, I was visiting my parents, and asked them if they remember the story.

To think that this tragedy happened shortly after 9/11 is very sad. At a time when the nation was divided on how to answer to the terrorist attacks, reading this story and seeing the division even within the state of Rhode Island is heartbreaking.

It was also really interesting to read about some of Rhode Island's state laws--"in Rhode Island it was legal to withhold information from a grand jury that might prove someone's innocence." WHAT?? That doesn't seem fair at all!

I can not wait to see what else Scott James has in store for the publishing world. What a wonderful book--I know that I will have a book hangover for awhile.

I am so thankful that I was invited to read this book as I don't think I would have otherwise - and now I can't stop recommending it to friends and family! It covers the most lethal rock concert in America. In West Warwick, Rhode Island in February of 2003, The Station bar and venue went up in flames within 90 seconds, killing 100 and injuring even more. I was in college when this took place and honestly don't remember any of the news coverage (although I do recall the incidents in Chicago that the author mentioned, so I guess I was more tapped into local news at that time than national).

Still, as I read about this tragedy - which James does an amazing job in making everything seem so immediate and really puts the author right there - I couldn't believe that none of the details felt familiar to me at all. I appreciated the narrative style of writing, but even more greatly appreciated the note in the front of the book about his process of research, quotes and the footnotes. The entire book, even as it is an outside journalist reporting on the work of past colleagues and peers, still manages to actually feel like a more neutral account of the past. There are a few moments that some may say are more skewed in favor of the club owning brothers, but it comes off more as revealing the previous unfair vantage point put forth by the state. I am really curious to see what the Rhode Island based reviews of this one will be after reading this! Plus, it was nice to learn more about Rhode Island itself. In fact, the fascinating brief chapter on its history is one that I read aloud in its entirety to my husband.

This is a thoroughly researched and fascinating read, but it's hardly devoid of emotion. I found myself crying throughout. So many things went wrong - both before and after the night of the fire. I think that this is a more balanced look and provides a large overview, spanning years. It's a heart-breaking true story and I hope that this helps readers better understand these events and doesn't add to the grieving of any survivors. It feels well-intentioned and very well-written.

This book details the tragedy that took place in 2003 at The Station night club in Rhode Island. During a concert event at the club a fire occurred and within 90 seconds over 100 people died.
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The book describes the night of the fire in explicit detail and then goes through the lives of the club owners, the musicians, and the survivors. It also describes the investigation into the cause of the fire.
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I was unaware of this horrific event and I found this book to be a great representation of the story. I was shocked reading the parts that outlined all the missteps and things that went wrong which led to the fire and that the fire was preventable if not for human error.
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I also found the book to be somewhat of a survivor story. In particular, the story of Gina, who suffered major burns and almost died. Her recovery is shown in great detail and was very uplifting in light of such a nightmare. I definitely recommend this one to everyone but I know all true crime lovers will certainly want to pick this one up.

A well investigated and delivered story. Trial by Fire is truly heartbreaking, the loss of life devastating and investigation for the truth compelling but frustrating. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and rode the gambit of emotions as the investigation played out. A Brilliant read and one I highly recommend.

This book was a great read covering a very sad event. I found the book easy to read and follow along with an extensive amount of detail, that some other true story books do not cover. Would highly recommend..

Do you love true crime? Scott James new book, TRIAL BY FIRE, is a true crime book that reveals who was really at fault for The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island that killed 100 people and injured 100s more in the nation's deadliest rock concert.

I remember this horrific fire and the news coverage in 2003, I even remember the footage one of the survivors took from the moment the nightclub started on fire up until his escape outside where he continued to film. Great White was the last band of the night and set off gerbs (a firework that shoots off sparks) as part of the show. Within seconds of lighting these gerbs, the walls near the stage were on fire and from there the fire spread at an unbelievable rate trapping many inside who died from toxic smoke and flames.

This book was so well researched that I felt completely immersed into these events. This book really dives into how this fire started, how it spread so quickly and the aftermath for all involved- the club owners, the band and band manager, the survivors and their families and those families that lost someone in the fire.

Reading this book was eye opening but it was also really heavy to hear from all sides that were involved. Everyone was pointing fingers at who was responsible, but in reality there were so many individuals that shared the blame. And although no one set out to kill anyone that night, families who suffered wanted someone to pay. I really struggled with hearing about criminal charges being brought against the club owners because this was just a horrific accident and in my mind they will be punishing themselves for the rest of their lives knowing in even a small way they played a part in the death of 100 people. It is just devastating all around so I can never judge the families that were grieving and wanted justice.

This book was heartbreaking, but also incredibly moving to hear from the survivors and what life looks like for them now. I highly recommend this one because it gives such a detailed account and really helps the reader understand everything that happened and how everyone was affected. Trial By Fire is available 10/27/20- true crime lovers this is one you won’t want to miss. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this advance reading copy.

I remember when The Station fire happened; I was living in Toronto at the time and there was a huge call to review clubs and their procedures and safety and all the clubs in Toronto had to be inspected and deemed safe. I know it took quite a bit of time, but no one was complaining. No one wanted a fire like that in Rhode Island on their hands or watch. I thought about all the times I spent in clubs when I lived in Westchester County NY and how I never really thought about safety measures or how to get out should there have been an incident and that after the fire happened, I started paying attention to where the exits were [something I still do]. I remember watching the whole thing unfold and wondered just who was to blame [though my initial leanings were always to the band and their manager - that really hasn't changed with the reading of this book]. And then the story just disappeared and we all went on with our lives. I wish it could have been that easy for the victims and families of the dead.

90 seconds was all it took to light that place up and that thought terrifies me. One of the paragraphs that stuck with me was that people are no longer sufficiently afraid of fire and don't realize the power behind it [and they talked about the fires in California as an example], and all I could think of was that I am more than sufficiently afraid of fire; it is one of my biggest fears. I would rather drown than burn and this book just reinforced that thought process. I cannot even begin to imagine how the people that did survive got through what was described as a horrific experience [on top of the trauma of the event]. The fact that some did and have ended up thriving is nothing short of a miracle to me. I am in such awe of them. I spent much of this book either angry or in tears; when the description of what some of the survivors went through, the tears flowed copiously. My heart broke for them and they will never leave my mind. All those who fought to live will forever be in my memory. And those who lost their loved ones will be there as well. Loss is loss, no matter how it happens.

This book also highlights the complete bungling of this whole event. I cannot even imagine how people kept their jobs. To condemn people even before the fire was out was irresponsible and dumb and really kicked into motion all the anger and hate that brewed for years. And led to people not being charged that [IMO] were directly responsible. There is little justice in the justice system I fear. And there is almost no closure. There will never be. There will just be the attempt at as normal a life as one can have. And for many, even 15+ years later, that will still never be enough. And that breaks my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley, Scott James, and St. Martin Press/Thomas Dunne Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a fire in a nightclub in 2003. A fire caused by a band setting off firework type things during their set. I remember reading about this in the newspaper but they didn’t really answer any questions. This author has gone above and beyond in his research and lays it all down. I can’t believe the amount of devastation that was produced in 90 seconds. I love true crime books but some are just walking you through what you could read online or see on the news, this book is not like that. The author obviously researched and did some deep digging to write this book and I enjoyed every minute of it.

One definition of an accident is ‘an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting damage or injury.’ (Oxford) The Station nightclub fire of 2003 is a heartbreaking example where a series of seemingly unconnected human errors lead to the deaths of 100 people. The footage shot by a local television camerman that night is undoubtedly one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen, in some ways even more than that of 9/11. While there is footage of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center towers, we have never seen the moments immediately afterwards and can only imagine the absolute shock and terror of the people inside as the realization of what was happening dawned on them, but with the Station fire we see and hear every awful gut-wrenching moment. The carefree patrons are enjoying a night of music topped off by a performance by Jack Russell’s Great White, best known for their remake of “Once Bitten Twice Shy” when they are suddenly thrown into chaos after a pyrotechnics display sets the walls and ceiling on fire. The fire spreads so rapidly that 90 seconds made the difference between life and death for many of the victims, and this book does an excellent job of explaning the roots of the disaster.

While I will not go into the various causes here, I will say that for me the most intriguing part presented was the account of the nightclub’s owners. One of the things I remembered the most about the tragedy was the immediate condemnation of the Derderian brothers afterwards, yet until now we had never heard their side of the story. I will admit that prior to reading the book I had pinned the guilt squarely on them and the band’s tour manager that set off the gerbs. Almost everything reported was about how their supposed greed led to the fire, including how the one working that night was accused of saving himself and the cash drawer instead of helping others. Yet I’m struck now by how shallow my understanding was, and while there is absolutely no argument that they do share in the blame, there are others out there that carry a large part of the responsibility as well.

The author skillfully blends in the stories of some of the victims and survivors to the overall narrative along with the genuinely fascinating aspects of politics in Rhode Island that contributed to what I thought I knew about this incident and the aftermath. Due to the subject matter this is not one that I can recommend to all readers, but for fellow true crime fans this is a worthwhile exploration of how an event like this can occur even in the 2000s and insight into the flaws of the legal system that both can both condemn and protect.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read this early; all opinions are my own.

Trial by Fire is a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of a tragedy that afflicted people from all walks of life. On February 20, 2003, the deadliest rock concert in U.S. history took place at a roadhouse called The Station in West Warwick, Rhode Island. That night, in the few minutes it takes to play a hard-rock standard, the fate of many of the unsuspecting nightclub patrons was determined with awful certainty. The blaze was ignited when pyrotechnics set off by Great White, a 1980s heavy-metal band, lit flammable polyurethane “egg crate” foam sound insulation on the club’s walls.

In less than 10 minutes, 96 people were dead and 200 more were injured, many catastrophically. The final death toll topped out, three months later, at the eerily unlikely round number of 100. The story of the fire, its causes, and its legal and human aftermath is one of lives put at risk by petty economic decisions―by a band, club owners, promoters, building inspectors, and product manufacturers. Any one of those decisions, made differently, might have averted the tragedy. Together, however, they reached a fatal critical mass.

This is a well written and thoroughly researched exploration of the chain of events leading up to the fire, the conflagration itself, and the painstaking search for evidence to hold the guilty to account and obtain justice for the victims. With newly uncovered evidence and interviews, and a narrative punctuated with the stories of some of the victims, James does a superb job of casting a critical journalistic eye over all parties involved. A compassionate, engaging and eminently readable work and investigative journalism at its finest. Many thanks to Thomas Dunne Books for an ARC.

A heart wrenching tragic story I remember hearing about the fire in the nightclub reading this book brings the horror alive.Told from many pints of view so much explained.Really well written drawing us in to the real story.#netgalley#st.martinspress

Being in Connecticut, I remember when this happened. It dominated the local news for weeks. Still hard to believe it happened. Trial by Fire has a lot of info about what happened that we never knew. I really enjoyed this book. Devastating to hear some of the first hand accounts. Thank you so much for letting me read this!