RI Television Station Settles Club Fire Suit

The Boston Globe reports on the latest settlement in the Rhode Island nightclub fire suit.  In 2003, a pyrotechnics display during a Great White performance ignited a fire at a Rhode Island nightclub, and killed 100 people.  The latest $30 million settlement involves Brian Butler, a cameraman for WPRI-TV, who was filming at the nightclub when the fire broke out, and LIN-TV (the owner of WPRI).  The federal suit accused Butler of blocking an exit while filming the fire, an allegation Butler's lawyer has denied.    The settlement must still be approved by U.S. District Judge Ronald Lagueux.   

As Bill has previously noted, several other defendants settled last November for a combined total of $18.5 million.  As the Globe notes, back in November, Judge Lagueux also appointed Professor Francis McGovern (Duke Law) to "devise a system to distribute settlement proceeds."  Remaining defendants include the State of Rhode Island, the Town of West Warwick, members of Great White and various foam insulation manufacturers. 

- SBS