Jack Russell, Station Fire: Great White Singer Says Blame for Tragedy is ‘Horrible to Live With’

Nearly 10 years after a fire at the Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., killed 100 people at a Great White concert and injured scores more, singer Jack Russell continues to face scrutiny about his role in the tragedy. In an interview (video below) with Vegas Rocks! magazine, Blabbermouth.net reports, the rocker said he understands why victims' family members hold him accountable, even though he maintains that multiple factors contributed to the February 2003 blaze.

"When something like that happens, people always have to have someone to blame," Russell told the magazine. "There are still people out there who think I murdered their kids. And that's horrible to live with. I know better. But if that makes them feel better, I guess I have to handle that. I mean, what am I going to do? It's a horrible tragedy. I don't know why it happened. It's like an airline disaster; there's a lot of different pieces of the puzzle that [are needed] for a disaster to happen."

The singer is currently on the road with Jack Russell's Great White, the version of this group he's put together since splitting with his former band mates, who accused him of substance abuse and demanded that he take urine tests on the road. Those musicians have continued on as Great White, and when asked whether he'd ever reunite with the old gang, Russell didn't mince words.

"No, absolutely not," he said. "After what they did to me, trying to steal the name of my band behind my back?"