Rescue staff carry an individual pulled from the wreckage of the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed throughout a merengue live performance in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Ricardo Hernandez/AP
disguise caption
toggle caption
Ricardo Hernandez/AP
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The roof of an iconic nightclub within the Dominican capital collapsed early Tuesday throughout a merengue live performance attended by politicians, athletes and others, leaving at the least 98 individuals useless and 160 injured, authorities stated.
Crews had been trying to find potential survivors within the rubble on the one-story Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, stated Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Heart of Emergency Operations.
“We continue clearing debris and searching for people,” he stated on Tuesday evening. “We’re going to search tirelessly for people.”
Almost 12 hours after the highest of the nightclub collapsed onto patrons, rescue crews had been nonetheless pulling out survivors from underneath the particles, shushing these round them so they might pay attention for faint cries for assist. Firefighters eliminated blocks of damaged concrete and used sawed items of wooden as planks to raise heavy particles because the noise of drills breaking by concrete crammed the air.
Méndez stated rescue crews had been prioritizing three areas within the membership: “We’re hearing some sounds.”
Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Main League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, was among the many victims. She had referred to as President Luis Abinader at 12:49 a.m., saying she was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, first girl Raquel Abraje instructed reporters. Officers stated Cruz died later on the hospital.
“This is too great a tragedy,” Abraje stated, her voice breaking.
The Skilled Baseball League of the Dominican Republic posted on X that former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, additionally died. Officers had pulled Dotel from the particles earlier and introduced him to a hospital. Additionally killed was Dominican baseball participant Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, stated league spokesman Satosky Terrero.
Late Tuesday evening, these nonetheless searching for their household and pals gathered round a person taking part in a guitar exterior the membership as they sang hymns.
Officers stated at the least 160 individuals had been injured, amongst them nationwide lawmaker Bray Vargas.
Kinfolk of merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, initially stated that he had been rescued, however Méndez stated later Tuesday that wasn’t true. He stated rescue crews had been nonetheless searching for Pérez.
Pérez’s supervisor, Enrique Paulino, whose shirt was spattered with blood, instructed reporters on the scene that the live performance started shortly earlier than midnight, with the roof collapsing nearly an hour later, killing the group’s saxophonist.
“It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner,” he stated, including that he initially thought it was an earthquake.
It wasn’t instantly clear what induced the roof to break down or when the Jet Set constructing was final inspected.
The membership issued a press release saying it was cooperating with authorities and famous that the proprietor, Antonio Espaillat, was in another country and returned late Tuesday.
“There are no words to express the pain this event has caused. What happened has been devastating for everyone,” he stated.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Public Works referred inquiries to the mayor’s workplace. A spokesperson for the mayor’s workplace didn’t reply to a message for remark.
Prosecutor Rosalba Ramos instructed TV station CDN that whereas “everyone wants to know” what occurred, authorities had been nonetheless centered on discovering survivors. They arrange a makeshift morgue close to the membership whereas greater than 120 individuals lined as much as donate blood at two completely different facilities.
Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the live performance however didn’t return house, was amongst these anxiously ready exterior the membership recognized for its conventional Monday events the place famend nationwide and worldwide artists carried out.
“We’re holding on only to God,” Olivo stated.
Additionally awaiting phrase was Massiel Cuevas, godmother of 22-year-old Darlenys Batista.
“I’m waiting for her. She’s in there, I know she’s in there,” Cuevas stated, agency in her perception that Batista can be pulled out alive.
President Abinader wrote on X that every one rescue companies are “working tirelessly” to assist these affected.
“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred,” he wrote.
Abinader arrived on the scene and hugged these searching for family and friends, some with tears streaming down their faces. “We have faith in God that we will rescue even more people alive,” he instructed reporters.
An official with a megaphone stood exterior the membership imploring the big crowd that had gathered to seek for pals and relations to offer ambulances house.
“You have to cooperate with authorities, please,” he stated. “We are removing people.”
At one hospital the place the injured had been taken, an official stood exterior studying aloud the names of survivors as a crowd gathered round her and yelled out the names of their family members.
In the meantime, dozens of individuals gathered on the Nationwide Institute of Forensic Pathology, which shared photos of the victims so their family members may determine them.
