Great White And Rhode Island Named In Lawsuit

04/23/2003 3:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
LAUNCH Radio Networks

(4/23/03, 3 p.m. ET) -- Two survivors and a widow of a victim of the Rhode Island nightclub fire, which killed 99 people, have filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Rhode Island, as well as the band Great White.

The suit claims the state's fire marshal did not carry out proper inspections of the club, which burned to the ground on February 20 when pyrotechnics used onstage by the band Great White ignited the club's soundproofing foam.

Other defendants in the federal suit include the Station nightclub owners Jeffrey and Michael Dederian, the town of West Warwick, and the company which sold the sound-proofing foam.

The lawsuit did not say how much the plaintiffs are seeking from the defendants as a result of the February 20 tragedy at the Station nightclub.

Lawyers contend Rhode Island fire inspectors should be held liable for the fire because state law prohibits using highly flammable soundproofing.

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