Sentencing in case of Rhode Island club fire

Daniel Biechele, the former band manager whose [tag]pyrotechnics[/tag] caused the February 2003 Rhode Island [tag]nightclub fire[/tag] that left 100 dead, was sentenced to four years in prison. The families of victims were hoping for more prison time, since the maximum possible sentence was ten years.

The fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick occurred during a [tag]Great White[/tag] concert. Biechele lit the pyrotechnics display, which ignited a highly flammable soundproofing foam that lined the nightclub’s walls and ceiling.

Those killed in the fire were either overcome by fumes or trapped by a stampede toward the door. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in a deal with prosecutors, and is the first person to be sentenced in this case. The club owners, brothers Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, are awaiting trial on manslaughter charges.

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