Station Fire Property Owner Donates Land for Memorial

According to the Associated Press, West Warwick property owner Ray Villanova has agreed to donate the site of The Station nightclub for use as a permanent memorial to the 100 people killed in the February 2003 blaze.

Villanova's lawyer, Dan McKiernan filed papers at West Warwick Town Hall on Friday morning transferring the land to the Station Fire Memorial Foundation.

The decision brings closure to a long-standing effort to secure the site of the tragedy by families of those killed. The one condition of the transfer is that a suitable memorial be maintained at the site in perpetuity.

The fire was sparked on Feb. 20, 2003 by pyrotechnics for the rock band Great White. Among the 100 who died in the fire was 22-year-old Andrew Hoban and 21-year-old Stephen Libera of North Kingstown.

Learn more about Andrew, Stephen and the other 98 victims here.