More than 180 people died in a nightclub roof collapse in the Dominican Republic, with a witness claiming the owners were aware of structural issues beforehand. The incident occurred at the Jet Set club in Santo Domingo shortly after midnight on Tuesday, when the roof caved in during a performance by popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was among the fatalities.
Rescue efforts continued on Wednesday as relatives gathered at the site, hoping for news of missing loved ones. María Feliz Suero, a lawyer, said she believed her 37-year-old relative Gustavo Noel Suero Mella was trapped under the stage but alive, after hearing his voice in a social media video. Altagracia Maldonado, waiting for news of a missing friend, said one of her three friends at the club had died, another was missing, and one escaped unharmed.
About 370 rescue personnel combed through debris, including fallen bricks, steel bars, and tin sheets. By early Wednesday, the preliminary death toll had reached 98, said Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Center. “No people have been found alive since 3pm,” he stated, adding that authorities would continue working as long as there was hope for life.
Among the dead were former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, as well as the governor of Monte Cristi municipality, Nelsy Cruz. President Luis Abinader declared three days of national mourning. The club, which had a capacity of about 1,700, was hosting between 500 and 1,000 people when the collapse occurred.
Witness Zoilo Antonio Ramos said his two cousins escaped after noticing sand falling from the ceiling. “They had a bad feeling and said: ‘Let’s get out of here,’” he recounted. Journalist Dániel Lajara described the scene as desperate, with people searching for answers. Camila Garcia, another journalist, spoke of collective mourning and a sense of helplessness across the country.
