The federal government is turning down Rhode Island's request for disaster relief in the wake of a deadly nightclub fire.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it decided the state and local governments are capable of making an "effective response" to the fire on their own.

The letter to Rhode Island's governor from FEMA chief Joe Allbaugh doesn't mention possibly granting the state some help that would fall short of major disaster relief. That could include not forcing the state to reimburse federal agencies for work they did in responding to the fire.

The state has 30 days to appeal FEMA's decision.

Fire Death Toll Reduced

The death toll for the fire was reduced by one Thursday, from 97 to 96.

Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri said all of the victims have been identified in the fire that swept through the West Warwick nightclub The Station on Feb. 20.

"When the doctor, the medical examiner, completed all of the work, and you have to understand this is painstaking work ... it was, in fact, 96 and we have identified all of them," the governor said.

The fire reportedly started after pyrotechnics were used during the first song performed by the band Great White, the club's headliner that night. One of the band's guitarists was among those killed in the inferno.

A grand jury is currently looking into the cause of the fire.