Relatives brave stench of death to visit inferno site

Relatives of the 96 people who died in the Rhode Island nightclub inferno were taken to the scene of the tragedy yesterday as accusations flew as to who was to blame for the blaze.

Red Cross workers warned family members in advance to prepare themselves for the smell of burning that still hangs over the blackened remains of the Station nightclub, which erupted in flames on Thursday night after pyrotechnics used by the Eighties rock band Great White got out of control.

Officials say most bodies are so badly burnt that dental, finger-print or even DNA records will be required.

The state governor, Don Carcieri, said 31 bodies had not been identified. He ordered a no-fly zone within five miles of the ruined club site in West Warwick, a suburb of Providence, while bereaved relatives visited the scene.

Arguments continued to spread over who was to blame for the fire.

Jeffrey Derderian, a local television reporter and a co-owner of the club, broke down several times as he held a brief press conference at which he insisted permission had not been granted for the band to use the fireworks.

"It was a total shock to me to see the pyrotechnics going off when Great White took the stage," he said.

A lawyer for the band, Ed McPherson, said the group had been given verbal permission to use the fireworks and that Mr Derderian was present when they were being set up before the band took the stage.

"Everybody wants to point fingers. It's unfortunate that people are coming out and giving statements that are not true," Mr McPherson said.