Santo Domingo [Dominican Republic]: Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic, following a deadly roof collapse at the iconic Jet Set nightclub. According to the New York Times (NYT), at least 89 people have died in the tragic incident.
Heavy machinery and drones are being deployed in a large-scale effort to locate survivors buried beneath the rubble. The roof of the nightclub suddenly gave way around 12:45 AM (local time) on Tuesday, during a merengue concert that drew a large crowd. The event was part of the club’s popular Monday night tradition, which has long attracted members of Dominican high society.
Despite the ongoing rescue efforts, the death toll continues to rise. The NYT reported that the victims included a sitting governor, a member of the Dominican Republic’s congress, and two former US Major League Baseball players.
“There are not enough words to express the pain this event causes… What happened has been devastating for everyone,” said club owner Antonio Espaillat in a video shared on social media.
Officials told NYT that investigations into the cause of the collapse have not yet begun, as the immediate focus remains on rescue operations. The Jet Set building, over 50 years old, was originally constructed as a cinema and had experienced a fire a few years ago, raising questions about its structural integrity.
Authorities have not confirmed the exact number of people present inside the club during the collapse, but search teams continue to pull both survivors and deceased individuals from the wreckage.
Among the deceased was Nelsy M. Cruz Martinez, the governor of Monte Cristi province. Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, was pulled from the rubble and later died in the hospital, while another ex-major league player, Tony Blanco, also lost his life in the incident.
Reports suggest several members of the Dominican Congress were inside the club at the time, and many lawmakers have since visited the site. The son of the public works minister and his wife are also among the missing, officials confirmed.
Carlos Mendoza Diaz, President of the Dominican Association of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors, commented on the building’s age and history of damage:
“We have gathered information that it was not only a structure over 50 years old, built for a movie theater and later converted into a nightclub, and obviously these are different safety parameters,” he said. “We also know that a fire occurred a few years ago, and perhaps the combination of these events could have caused the collapse.”