Rhode Island marks 15 years since 100 killed in club fire

By The Associated Press

WEST WARWICK, R.I. – Rhode Island is marking the 15th anniversary of a nightclub fire that killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others.

The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick started when pyrotechnics for the rock band Great White set fire to flammable foam installed as soundproofing.

The site of the fire is now a memorial park.

On Tuesday, some survivors, victims’ relatives, fire officials and fire safety advocates gathered there to discuss a new federal tax incentive meant to make it easier for small businesses to install sprinklers.

Gina Russo, a fire survivor, is president of the group that built the memorial park. She says that if there had been sprinklers in the club, “life would be completely different” for many of the people gathered there.

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