WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Thursday denied Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri's request for disaster relief in wake of the nightclub fire that left 96 people dead.
FEMA director Joe M. Allbaugh, in a letter to Carcieri, said that after a review of available information and a ``determination that an effective response does not appear to exceed the combined capabilities of the state and local governments, the impact of this event does not meet the statutory threshold to warrant major disaster declaration.''
The state has 30 days to appeal. If it does, Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., said in a statement Thursday he would ``do everything in my power to secure additional federal assistance'' for the state.
The letter does not mention the possibility of granting Rhode Island assistance that would fall short of major disaster relief, such as relieving the state from reimbursing federal agencies for their work in the fire's aftermath.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, for instance, sent agents to assist in the investigation.
Fire quickly engulfed the club Feb. 20 after the heavy metal band Great White set off a pyrotechnic display.
The fire is under investigation by the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology, an agency that investigates building disasters. A grand jury in Rhode Island has begun its own investigation.
