WARWICK, R.I., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- At a memorial service honoring 100 people who died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Warwick, R.I., a former firefighter said Rhode Island is now a safer place.
Peter Ginaitt, who supervised triage at the scene of the Feb. 20, 2003, fire at the Station nightclub, spoke of "a silver lining to this horrible tragedy" at Sunday's service in the Warwick City Council chamber, adding, "In the end, we learned a lot from it."
The state developed plans for mass-casualty response, as well as plans to assist families and rescuers, after the fire, he said.
The fire quickly engulfed the wooden building housing the nightclub, after it was started by fireworks set off inside.
Many of the 150 attendees of the memorial service wore shirts listing the names of the dead, and tears were shed as the 100 victims' names were read aloud before 100 seconds of silence, the Providence Journal reported Monday.
