Roderiques, 46, enjoyed a rock 'n' roll sort of life, according to his friend and co-worker Mario LeDuc. He loved live music, small clubs, and domestic beer. He adored power rock music from the 1980s, and made plans more than a month ago to see Great White perform Thursday night at The Station in West Warwick, R.I.

"He was a great guy, a lot of fun," said LeDuc, a maintenance engineer at a Mashpee apartment complex along Wampanoag Drive.

For the past three years, LeDuc worked alongside Roderiques, repairing heating systems and keeping up the 80-unit complex. He said his friend had first come to the job as a part-time worker with a temporary help company while living in a Fall River shelter.

Roderiques was given a full-time job on LeDuc's recommendation. "He was a fast learner and was doing a good job," he said.

On Thursday night, Roderiques headed out to The Station with Victor Stark, 39, who also lived in the Wampanoag Drive complex, and their friend, Milton "Skip" Servis Jr., 40, of East Falmouth.

Of the trio, only Servis managed to stumble out of the building before flames consumed the club. On Sunday, he was listed in critical condition at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Stark was still listed as missing.

Roderiques's death has left a terrible void among the small maintenance staff, LeDuc said. "It has hit us pretty hard," he said.

ERICA NOONAN