HT Digital
GUWAHATI, APR 9: At least 98 people have been confirmed dead and more than 150 injured following the catastrophic collapse of a nightclub roof in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. The tragedy struck in the early hours of Tuesday during a concert by famed merengue singer Rubby Pérez at the Jet Set nightclub, a popular venue known for hosting celebrity-packed events.
Among the victims were Monte Cristi provincial governor Nelsy Cruz and former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel. Dotel, 51, was pulled from the rubble but sadly died on the way to the hospital. Cruz, who was also the sister of MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, was among those who succumbed to the disaster on-site.
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The incident occurred around 1 a.m., with hundreds of concertgoers packed inside the venue. Eyewitnesses described the moment of chaos as the ceiling gave way. A member of Rubby Pérez’s band told local media, “I thought it was an earthquake.” The rescue operation was launched swiftly, with nearly 400 personnel working to locate survivors amid the debris.
Mobile footage from inside the club captured moments before the collapse—guests were seen enjoying the performance, dancing and seated at tables. One video shows a man near the stage pointing to the ceiling, exclaiming, “Something fell from the ceiling,” just seconds before a loud crash and darkness engulfed the scene. A woman’s desperate voice follows: “Dad, what’s happened to you?”
Juan Manuel Méndez, head of the Emergency Operations Centre, expressed hope that more survivors might still be trapped beneath the wreckage. The collapse has deeply shaken the nation, with grief-stricken families and friends gathering outside the nightclub, mourning, crying, and embracing one another in sorrow.
President Luis Abinader conveyed his condolences to the affected families and the nation. “We mourn with the entire country,” he said, acknowledging the profound loss of both well-known figures and countless others whose lives were cut short in the collapse.
The status of Rubby Pérez remains unclear, although his daughter confirmed he was initially trapped. As the investigation continues, serious questions are being raised regarding the structural integrity of the nightclub and whether safety checks were adequately conducted prior to the tragedy.
