Fabulous Shadow
12-16-2004, 07:44 PM
Civil Suits in Nightclub Fire Consolidated
December 16, 2004 6:20 PM EST
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A judge ruled Thursday that several civil suits stemming from a nightclub fire that killed 100 people last year will be consolidated under one complaint expanded to include 240 plaintiffs.
U.S. District Judge Ronald Lagueux said the decision will allow the suits to move more quickly through the courts. In addition to the master complaint, at least five other lawsuits have been filed by victims' families and those injured in the blaze.
Gerald DeMaria, an attorney representing two foam manufacturers named in the complaint, argued that consolidating the lawsuits was an attempt by prosecutors to avoid allowing some of the defendants to be dismissed.
Lagueux said, however, the defendants could refile their motions to dismiss the case.
Authorities said the February 2003 fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, which also injured hundreds of people, began when sparks from a band's pyrotechnics ignited highly flammable foam that was used in the club as soundproofing.
The amended complaint alleges negligence on the part of 47 defendants, including the concert promoters, foam manufacturers, town and state fire inspectors, club owners and the band Great White, which was playing that night.
The suit also adds the broadcasting companies that own WPRI-TV in Providence, which employed the club owner and a cameraman plaintiffs allege impeded people leaving the club. The complaint drops CBS Broadcasting Inc. as a defendant because the network sold WPRI in 1996.
In addition, the complaint alleges that beer company Anheuser Busch Inc. - which provided a banner promoting the concert and distributed hats, T-shirts and other Budweiser products - should have known that Great White regularly used pyrotechnics in its shows.
December 16, 2004 6:20 PM EST
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A judge ruled Thursday that several civil suits stemming from a nightclub fire that killed 100 people last year will be consolidated under one complaint expanded to include 240 plaintiffs.
U.S. District Judge Ronald Lagueux said the decision will allow the suits to move more quickly through the courts. In addition to the master complaint, at least five other lawsuits have been filed by victims' families and those injured in the blaze.
Gerald DeMaria, an attorney representing two foam manufacturers named in the complaint, argued that consolidating the lawsuits was an attempt by prosecutors to avoid allowing some of the defendants to be dismissed.
Lagueux said, however, the defendants could refile their motions to dismiss the case.
Authorities said the February 2003 fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, which also injured hundreds of people, began when sparks from a band's pyrotechnics ignited highly flammable foam that was used in the club as soundproofing.
The amended complaint alleges negligence on the part of 47 defendants, including the concert promoters, foam manufacturers, town and state fire inspectors, club owners and the band Great White, which was playing that night.
The suit also adds the broadcasting companies that own WPRI-TV in Providence, which employed the club owner and a cameraman plaintiffs allege impeded people leaving the club. The complaint drops CBS Broadcasting Inc. as a defendant because the network sold WPRI in 1996.
In addition, the complaint alleges that beer company Anheuser Busch Inc. - which provided a banner promoting the concert and distributed hats, T-shirts and other Budweiser products - should have known that Great White regularly used pyrotechnics in its shows.