The Dominican Republic is in shock after the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub, which occurred in the night from Monday to Tuesday in Santo Domingue. The latest assessment communicated Wednesday morning reports at least 113 people dead and more than 150 injured. This drama, one of the deadliest in the country’s recent history, occurred in full representation of the famous singer of Merengue Rubby Pérez, who himself died in the disaster.
According to the first estimates, between 500 and 1,000 people were gathered in the establishment at the time of the drama. A true institution of the Dominican nightlife for over fifty years, the Jet Set was renowned for its concerts bringing together local artists, renowned political and sports figures.
Among the victims are also several public figures, including Octavio Dotel, former MLB launcher, and Tony Blanco, ex-professional baseball player. Nelsy Cruz, governor of the province of Monte Cristi and sister of the major league Nelson Cruz, also died of his injuries after having managed to call President Luis Abinader to point out that she was stuck under the rubble.
The emergency services immediately mobilized, working tirelessly for more than 24 hours. With cranes, projectors and lifting tools, the teams search the ruins of the building in the hope of finding survivors. Noises detected in certain areas has oriented research, although the chances of finding living people are being dressed over time.
The exact cause of the collapse is not yet known. The owner of the nightclub, Antonio Espailt, who was abroad at the time of the events, returned in an emergency to the country and assured that he would cooperate fully with the authorities. The state of the building and the date of its last inspection remain, for the moment, unknown. Questioned on the subject, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works has referred the questions to the town hall, who has not yet commented.
Faced with the magnitude of the tragedy, President Luis Abinader went to the scene from the first hours and decreed three days of national mourning. This disaster recalls other painful events in Dominican history, such as the explosion of San Cristobal in 2023, which had left 38 dead, or the fire of Higuey prison in 2005, which had cost the life of 136 detainees.
