R.I. Nightclub Fire Suit Adds Shell Oil

"The nightclub owners had a very small policy," said Ronald Resmini, a Rhode Island lawyer who is representing some two-dozen survivors of the fire. So other defendants, including Shell, may be responsible for paying for part or all of the damages.

Mr. Resmini said Shell has been added to a list of defendants, which now numbers around 30, because the company actively promoted the event and gave free tickets to anyone who bought a certain amount of merchandize at one of the Shell gas stations in Rhode Island.

The company's actions, Mr. Resmini said, may have contributed to the crowded condition of the nightclub on the night of fire and the high number of fatalities.

Mr. Resmini also charged that Shell implicitly acknowledged its involvement and had tried to conceal it by calling the gas station in question right after the fire to remove all signs that were related to the nightclub event, which featured a popular 1980s' band, "Great White."

Mr. Resmini added that the awards in a death case could be in the "vicinity of $2 million," while a severe burn case could amount to $900,000, and an inhalation case could involve around $750,000. These numbers could quickly add up, considering that there were 100 deaths and at least 300 reported injuries resulting from the fire, he said.

Shell in 2001 posted some $2.2 billion in net income.

In similar cases in the past, some fire victims and their families have sued manufacturers of different products used in facilities, because fire deaths can be caused by inhalation of smoke from burning items–such as chairs and materials on curtains–that are manufactured without chemicals to make them fire retardant.

Municipalities have also been targeted for failure to properly inspect and enforce fire codes at nightclubs as often or as thoroughly as they should.

In the Rhode Island case, other defendants already on the list include the state of Rhode Island, Anheuser-Busch Inc. and Clear Channel Communications Inc., as well as Luna Tech Inc., which manufactured pyrotechnics used by the band "Great White" on the night of the fire, Mr. Resmini said.

Also named, he said, are the manufacturers of foams that were used to soundproof the club, including General Foam, American Foam and Foamex International Inc.