Shraman Mitra
Rhode Island suffered a horrible tragedy when the Station Nightclub in West Warwick caught fire and was razed to the ground. The incident led to the death of a hundred people, while 230 others were left severely injured. ’48 Hours: The Station Nightclub Fire: Who’s Responsible?’ chronicles the heartbreaking tragedy and even features interviews with survivors who speak about their experience of that terrible night. Linda Saran and Jody King are two such people who chose to appear on the show to give a first-hand account of the fire and how it affected their lives. Let’s dig a bit deeper and find out where Linda and Jody are at present, shall we?
Who Are Linda Saran and Jody King?
The Station Nightclub fire forced Jody King to go through the terrible experience of losing one’s sibling. Jody’s brother, Tracy, worked as a bouncer at the nightclub and was on duty when the fire suddenly broke out on February 20, 2003. Jody recalled that he arrived at the nightclub at around 11:35 pm, by which time the walls and roof were already caving in. He even witnessed the horrifying scene of injured and deceased people lying around the establishment as the fire raged on. Although some people managed to escape the blaze, Tracy was nowhere to be found, and Jody gradually, heartbreakingly came to realize that his brother was no more.
On the other hand, Linda Saran was inside the nightclub watching the Great White band’s performance when their tour manager, Daniel Biechele, set off the pyrotechnics. She watched the walls near the stage catch fire and was then among the hundreds trying their best to escape the fiery inferno. Although Linda somehow made it out of the establishment, she was gravely injured and suffered burns on over 34 percent of her body. She required immediate medical care and was thus rushed to a hospital for recovery.
Linda Saran and Jody King Are Moving Forward in Life Now
Although one cannot even begin to fathom the kind of pain Jody experienced at the loss of his brother, he still feels that the owners, Michael, and Jeffrey Derderian, were not the only ones at fault. He mentioned how his kind brother, Tracy, was a good friend of the Derderian brothers and was even glad that the latter finally took the opportunity to speak out about their side of the story through ’48 Hours.’
Since the tragedy, Jody has been trying to cope with his brother’s demise and even has Tracy’s face tattooed onto his chest. Along with the co-owners, he launched the Station Education Fund, which provides a college scholarship to the children of the people affected by the fire. Yet even though he appeared on ’48 Hours’ to speak about his experience, he prefers to remain under the radar and lead a private life.
On the other hand, Linda Saran endured a painful, lengthy recovery despite having been put in a medically induced coma for weeks before being required to undergo the difficult rehab process. Although she managed to heal from her severe burns, the numerous scars on her body never let her forget that fateful night. However, Linda believes that the Derderian brothers never took responsibility for their actions. They did apologize for the tragedy, but Linda mentioned that she could never forgive them and added, “They have said they were sorry… but never once do they say, we screwed up… If they stood up and said, small business owners, we were inexperienced. We took shortcuts. We screwed up. I would forgive them in a heartbeat.”
Currently, Linda prefers a life of privacy and has kept her personal life under wraps. However, she is now married and is in a happy place with her family and loved ones. Furthermore, she mentioned that she never tries to hide her burns but has accepted them as a part of her. Linda’s bravery and determination to carry on with her life are honestly inspiring, and we wish her all the happiness in the days to come.
Read More: Where is Daniel Biechele Now?
