I've just returned from 3 hours at the disaster scene, where now 99 people perished (all of whom have been identified) and 187 were taken to the hospital-36 admitted at last count. One more body was found Feb 23rd and the count was dropped by one on the 27th; but in a testament to full-court medical care, only 3 of the desperately burned patients have succumbed (another Mar 2+6th), though some have 80-90% burns. 14 more people are still critical, with inhalation burns of the lungs or high percentage burns. After the first 15 fatalities, victims have had to be identified by dental records; state policemen were sent out to collect closed dentists' records. About 464 people were in the crowded low-ceilinged club, above the capacity of 250 (with the pool tables and machines inside- manager Beese says it was 317), to see the faded 80's metal rock Great White band when they started their first song and ignited gerbs- firework fountains that they had used in many previous performances. "If I knew they were going to do that, I would have been afraid," said Jerry, sitting shellshocked in the Duncan Donuts 150 yards from the incinerated club. List of Victims{ProJo}Hospitalized Portraits of Victims {BosGlobe} Donations Photos of Victims {Ch6}
From extensive interviews with 11 people inside at the time of the fire, including some not interviewed by anyone else, we've got a good sense of what the material was that ignited so horribly fast. The wall behind the band, hit by a raft of sparkler sparks, was covered by foam rubber sheets pressed into the shape of repeating egg cartons (leading some witnesses to think it was cardboard)- a standard acoustical dampening material, but this stuff was spectacularly flammable. {PJ} It was "the lowest grade, the cheapest stuff; 2½" thick packing foam costing $575 for 25 sheets of 3'x7' size installed in June 2000.³ Flame retardant foam would have cost double, or $6 per fatality. Stage manager Paul Vanner says owner Jeff Derderian was concerned about noise complaints, and the town was insisting on it for relicensing. A neighbor who had complained about the noise, Barry H. Warner, worked for American Foam and suggested and ordered it.
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