Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Forensic Experts Continue Work to Identify Rhode Island Club Fire Victims
Aired February 23, 2003 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: Forensic teams are working around the clock to identify victims of Thursday's Rhode Island nightclub fire. So far, only 15 of those 96 recovered bodies have been identified. Joining us with the latest is our Whitney Casey in West Warwick, Rhode Island -- Whitney.
WHITNEY CASEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, today, Jonathan, will be the first day that family members of those 96 victims can actually come to the site, and this is what they will be seeing. This is what's left of The Station. This is actually the kitchen here, and it is the only remaining structure on the site right here. And we're told, actually, and you've seen from some of that video that we've been showing you, that only 12 people made it out the back of this nightclub, including Great White, the band, although one of the band members is still missing.
Now, as of right now, as we walk down closer to the site, 81 people are still unidentified. Fifteen people have only been identified since Thursday night. Family members continue to look for answers. They are anguished, but now their anguish is turning to anger, because it's been so long now, and they have no answers.
They got some of them yesterday from Jeffrey Derderian, this club owner. He gave an emotional plea to cameras. Now, he could not answer reporter questions because of the continuing investigation, but he did say that he had never given the Great White band permission to use pyrotechnics in his club. However, Great White and their attorney came back with a rebuttal yesterday from Los Angeles, saying that they did have verbal permission from Jeffrey Derderian to use those pyrotechnics.
But verbal permission is not valid here in the state of Rhode Island. You do need to have a permit to use them. And so far, Rhode Island officials have not produced that permit.
Two Boston papers, the "Boston Globe" and the "Boston Herald" have both reported that other bands have contacted them and said they have proof, they have pictures that right here on this site at The Station that they used pyrotechnics. Pyrotechnics that were the same that Great White used in their performance here on Thursday night.
Now, the focus really today, though, is not on this investigation. It is on the family members. Eighty-one are still unidentified, 81 victims here. And Jonathan, another interesting thing here, officials hope that that death toll does not go up, but there are dozens that are still in area hospitals in critical condition -- Jonathan.
KARL: All right, Whitney Casey, in Rhode Island, thank you very much for that update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Club Fire Victims>
Aired February 23, 2003 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: Forensic teams are working around the clock to identify victims of Thursday's Rhode Island nightclub fire. So far, only 15 of those 96 recovered bodies have been identified. Joining us with the latest is our Whitney Casey in West Warwick, Rhode Island -- Whitney.
WHITNEY CASEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, today, Jonathan, will be the first day that family members of those 96 victims can actually come to the site, and this is what they will be seeing. This is what's left of The Station. This is actually the kitchen here, and it is the only remaining structure on the site right here. And we're told, actually, and you've seen from some of that video that we've been showing you, that only 12 people made it out the back of this nightclub, including Great White, the band, although one of the band members is still missing.
Now, as of right now, as we walk down closer to the site, 81 people are still unidentified. Fifteen people have only been identified since Thursday night. Family members continue to look for answers. They are anguished, but now their anguish is turning to anger, because it's been so long now, and they have no answers.
They got some of them yesterday from Jeffrey Derderian, this club owner. He gave an emotional plea to cameras. Now, he could not answer reporter questions because of the continuing investigation, but he did say that he had never given the Great White band permission to use pyrotechnics in his club. However, Great White and their attorney came back with a rebuttal yesterday from Los Angeles, saying that they did have verbal permission from Jeffrey Derderian to use those pyrotechnics.
But verbal permission is not valid here in the state of Rhode Island. You do need to have a permit to use them. And so far, Rhode Island officials have not produced that permit.
Two Boston papers, the "Boston Globe" and the "Boston Herald" have both reported that other bands have contacted them and said they have proof, they have pictures that right here on this site at The Station that they used pyrotechnics. Pyrotechnics that were the same that Great White used in their performance here on Thursday night.
Now, the focus really today, though, is not on this investigation. It is on the family members. Eighty-one are still unidentified, 81 victims here. And Jonathan, another interesting thing here, officials hope that that death toll does not go up, but there are dozens that are still in area hospitals in critical condition -- Jonathan.
KARL: All right, Whitney Casey, in Rhode Island, thank you very much for that update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Club Fire Victims>
