Killer Show

Killer Show by John Barylick is about the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island that killed one hundred people when a pyrotechnic display ignited foam insulation around the stage as the band Great White began to play.  It's an unsettling book - so many mistakes were made by so many people.  Over the years the building had been remodeled, but inspections didn't take place.  Some exit doors were sealed (so patrons couldn't sneak in or out).  When a neighbor complained about noise, the new owners installed polyurethane foam bought from the neighbor, who - what a coincidence - worked for a foam company.  The foam was flammable.

Pyrotechnics weren't supposed to be used by bands performing at The Station, but they were.  When the fire broke out, some patrons tried to exit the overcrowded club through a door by the stage, but were turned away by a Station bouncer.

The book is well-researched and the author writes movingly about the victims and survivors.  One of the most disturbing things about the Station fire is how quickly it happened.  Within five minutes the building was engulfed.  And because a local news cameraman was on the scene (ironically filming a piece about nightclub safety), you can watch his video on YouTube.  But be prepared - it's horrifying.  And horrifying to think that this was a tragedy that could have been prevented.