The Station Nightclub Fire Site — West Warwick, Rhode Island

On 20 February 2003, during a performance by the rock band Great White at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, pyrotechnic stage effects ignited foam soundproofing on the walls and ceiling. The fire spread in under two minutes. One hundred people died — many trampled in the rush for the single main exit — and another 230 were injured, making it one of the deadliest nightclub fires in American history. Dozens of victims were found near the entrance they had come in through, unaware of other exits.

The disaster prompted sweeping changes to fire safety codes across the United States, particularly regarding the use of pyrotechnics in enclosed venues, the installation of sprinkler systems, and the regulation of foam soundproofing materials. The club's owners Jack and Jeffrey Derderian and tour manager Daniel Biechele were convicted on manslaughter charges. Great White guitarist Ty Longley was among those killed.

The site was cleared and today serves as a memorial park and garden. A permanent memorial, Station Fire Memorial Park, was built on the site and includes a reflecting pool, stone walls etched with the names of the 100 victims, and a bronze sculpture. The park is open to the public and serves as a place of remembrance for the victims of one of rock music's darkest nights.