The Station Inferno

The identification process, which would take days, was made more difficult by fraudulent missing person reports filed by con artists trying to cash in on the free hotel rooms. The prolonged wait was agonizing. Most of the casualties were caused by smoke and elation, a terrifying last moment but not as painful as being burned alive. Investigators said that at least some of the deceased had been trampled to death. As confusion turned to anger, people demanded to know why this had happened. One woman asked governor carcheri what the state of rhode island was planning to do. He assured her, as i have said, it's a tragedy that did not have to happen.