WEST WARWICK, R.I. (AP) -- Thousands of relatives, co-workers and friends of the 97 people who died in last week's nightclub fire joined together in a pair of memorials Monday and pledged to see each other through the disaster.
The Incident
First-In: Heroic Rescues
Death Toll Rises to 97
At Least 96 Dead in Inferno
Rescuers Struggle with Horror
Fire, Smoke Turns Club Into Hell
Discuss the Warwick Tragedy
The Aftermath
Thousands Mourn Victims
IDs Could Take Days
Family, Friends Search
The Investigation
Investigators Inspect Soundproofing
Pyrotechnics Examined in Clubs
Disasters Prompt Inspections
Sprinklers Not Required
Nightclub Up to Code Before Fire
No Warning of Pyro Use
Pyrotechnics Usually Safe
Photos & Video
IBS Scene SlideShow
ABC: The Fire Starts
WJAR Video Feedroom
History of Tragedies
Carter: History Strikes Again
Fire, Life Safety Laws in Front
Tragedy Recalls Cocoanut Grove
Worst Club Tragedies
Nightclub Disasters Too Familiar
List: Worst Club Tragedies
Related Sites
West Warwick Fire Department
Warwick Fire Department
FH Network: Rhode Island
Providence Journal Coverage
``It's so sad, but so nice to see all these people come together,'' said Kim Ondrick, who attended a vigil at the West Warwick Civic Center with her friend, Sherry Lariviere.
The two used to work at The Station, the club that burned to ashes in Thursday's fire. They went to the vigil after visiting the grim scene.
``It doesn't seem real,'' Lariviere said. ``We're still in shock.''
The 2,000-seat civic center was standing-room only, with people lining the walls to hear tributes to the dead. Among the crowd were school bus drivers who had worked with Robert Reisner, 29, and drove his bus to the service. They remembered the 1980s rock-'n'-roll fan fondly.
``There is no doubt in my mind that he was letting people out of the club in front of him,'' Danny Manns recalled. ``He was a gentleman.''
The fire began during the first song of the night by the '80s band Great White. Pyrotechnics apparently set fire to soundproofing behind and above the stage, sending flames roaring through the club in a matter of minutes.
Gov. Don Carcieri said 13 more victims have been identified, bringing the total to 55. About 80 survivors remain hospitalized; about half were listed in critical condition.
At a service at St. Gregory the Great Church in nearby Warwick, about 400 mourners sang hymns and prayed for victims. One pastor asked grieving families to hold up pictures of their lost relatives so mourners can ``know for a moment those you loved.''
``It's true that some good may come from this disaster, but the event itself is only tragic and will never make sense,'' said the Rev. John E. Holt of the Rhode Island Council of Churches. He saluted families for their ``quiet courage.''
``All the good people of Rhode Island, from Westerly to Woonsocket, are emotionally involved with you,'' he said. ``They inquire of your welfare. We belong to each other. Most importantly, we know that God is emotionally involved. God weeps for you.''
Investigators are trying to determine whether the soundproofing material that burst into flames at the club was a highly flammable type that shouldn't have been installed in the first place. State law bars flammable acoustic material like polyurethane foam from the walls of gathering spaces like bars.
``If it was (polyurethane), then the governor's going want an answer to the question, 'Why was it there?''' said the governor's spokesman, Jeff Neal.
The state has started a criminal investigation into the fire, which also injured 180 people.
Great White has said it had permission to use the special effects, a claim disputed by the club's owners. Officials at clubs in at least four other states say Great White used pyrotechnics this month without prior notice.
Soundproofing experts who have seen video of the disaster say they believe the material used at the Station was polyurethane foam, a commonly used, inexpensive alternative to fire-resistant panels many experts prefer.
``It's a common mistake many people make, not evaluating their materials,'' said P.J. Nash, a national soundproofing distributor in San Diego. ``Polyurethane foam is extremely flammable, and if you breathe that smoke, it's going to knock you out in a minute.''
A polyurethane panel typically costs about $150 while a melamine panel, which experts say withstands heat, sells for nearly $250.
The club passed a fire inspection Dec. 31, but it wasn't clear if the soundproofing material was checked or would normally be during a routine inspection. Fire Chief Charles Hall declined comment on the investigation.
The governor has declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people. Deputy fire marshals began sweeping through Rhode Island clubs Monday, looking for any fire hazards.
The governor also asked President Bush to declare the fire a state disaster, which would make Rhode Island eligible for federal aid.
