Owner of Dominican Republic nightclub whose roof collapsed is arrested along with his sister
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The owner of an iconic nightclub in the Dominican Republic whose roof collapsed in April and killed 235 people was arrested along with his sister on Thursday.
Antonio Espaillat y Maribel Espaillat have not been charged in the case, although authorities have 48 hours to present any charges before a judge.
An attorney for them could not be immediately reached for comment.
An investigation into why the roof collapsed is ongoing.
Crews worked for 53 hours nonstop after arriving on the scene in Santo Domingo shortly after midnight on April 8, rescuing 189 survivors.
The victims included beloved singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof caved in, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz.
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Dominican nightclub owner arrested in deaths of 236 in roof collapse
June 13 (UPI) -- The owner of a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic is facing an involuntary homicide charge after 236 people died because the roof collapsed during a concert in April, prosecutors announced. Antonio Espaillat, whose family also owns a chain of radio stations, was questioned by the attorney general's office in the capital, Santo Domingo, on Thursday, The New York Times reported. He then was detained, his lawyer, Jorge Luis Polanco, said. Also arrested on the same charge was his sister Maribel Espaillat, who helped manage the club Jet Set. Authorities have 48 hours to seek charges before a judge. He was arrested after a club employee gave authorities evidence that showed he had warned the club's owners that they should cancel the concert on April 8 because the roof was in such poor condition and had been repeatedly repaired. "Both defendants displayed immense irresponsibility and negligence by failing to physically intervene to prevent the club's roof from collapsing, as it ultimately did, causing 236 deaths and more than 180 injuries," the attorney general's office said in a statement obtained by MSN. Also, the office also said they tried to "manipulate or intimidate" employees as potential witnesses. Plinio Pina, the employee's lawyer, told reporters Wednesday: "Our client presented, basically, evidence of conversations in which he gave an account of the situation at the nightclub in which he expressed his fears and apprehensions, and his suggestion that the event be suspended. And that was ignored." Satellite images showed equipment, including air-conditioning condensers, on the club's roof. An official report by the National Office of Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings concluded that the nightclub's roof structure was in critical condition and showed signs of deterioration before the tragedy occurred. Antonio Espaillat, who was out of the country during the tragedy, and his mother owned Jet Set, which is about a block from the shore in Santo Domingo and was known for live music. The roof collapsed during a performance by the merengue singer Rubby Perez, who was known as the "highest voice in merengue." Perez died, as well as a Dominican governor, former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dorel and Tony Blanco, family members of prominent bankers, the city's director of urban infrastructure and the minister of public works' son. More than 70 civil lawsuits have been filed, including many from the nearly 200 survivors. Two weeks after the roof collapse, Antonio Espaillat said in a television interview that the club's ceiling panels often got soaked from water leaking from the air conditioning. Workers replaced ceiling panels on the same day of the fatal concert. He said he didn't know how bad the situation was. "The first thing I want to say is that I have a very great pain," he said."I regret all the losses with all my soul." One day after the roof collapse, there were 184 deaths and 155 injuries reported. Also, 145 people were rescued from the wreckage in the first 24 hours, Juan Manuel Mendez, the director of the Emergency Operations Center. Rescue workers from Israel and Puerto Rico assisted.
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6 hours ago
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Dominican nightclub owner arrested in deaths of 236 in roof collapse
June 13 (UPI) -- The owner of a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic is facing an involuntary homicide charge after 236 people died because the roof collapsed during a concert in April, prosecutors announced. Antonio Espaillat, whose family also owns a chain of radio stations, was questioned by the attorney general's office in the capital, Santo Domingo, on Thursday, The New York Times reported. He then was detained, his lawyer, Jorge Luis Polanco, said. Also arrested on the same charge was his sister Maribel Espaillat, who helped manage the club Jet Set. Authorities have 48 hours to seek charges before a judge. He was arrested after a club employee gave authorities evidence that showed he had warned the club's owners that they should cancel the concert on April 8 because the roof was in such poor condition and had been repeatedly repaired. "Both defendants displayed immense irresponsibility and negligence by failing to physically intervene to prevent the club's roof from collapsing, as it ultimately did, causing 236 deaths and more than 180 injuries," the attorney general's office said in a statement obtained by MSN. Also, the office also said they tried to "manipulate or intimidate" employees as potential witnesses. Plinio Pina, the employee's lawyer, told reporters Wednesday: "Our client presented, basically, evidence of conversations in which he gave an account of the situation at the nightclub in which he expressed his fears and apprehensions, and his suggestion that the event be suspended. And that was ignored." Satellite images showed equipment, including air-conditioning condensers, on the club's roof. An official report by the National Office of Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings concluded that the nightclub's roof structure was in critical condition and showed signs of deterioration before the tragedy occurred. Antonio Espaillat, who was out of the country during the tragedy, and his mother owned Jet Set, which is about a block from the shore in Santo Domingo and was known for live music. The roof collapsed during a performance by the merengue singer Rubby Perez, who was known as the "highest voice in merengue." Perez died, as well as a Dominican governor, former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dorel and Tony Blanco, family members of prominent bankers, the city's director of urban infrastructure and the minister of public works' son. More than 70 civil lawsuits have been filed, including many from the nearly 200 survivors. Two weeks after the roof collapse, Antonio Espaillat said in a television interview that the club's ceiling panels often got soaked from water leaking from the air conditioning. Workers replaced ceiling panels on the same day of the fatal concert. He said he didn't know how bad the situation was. "The first thing I want to say is that I have a very great pain," he said."I regret all the losses with all my soul." One day after the roof collapse, there were 184 deaths and 155 injuries reported. Also, 145 people were rescued from the wreckage in the first 24 hours, Juan Manuel Mendez, the director of the Emergency Operations Center. Rescue workers from Israel and Puerto Rico assisted.
17 hours ago
Owner of Dominican club whose roof collapsed and killed 236 is arrested along with his sister
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- The owner of an iconic nightclub in the Dominican Republic whose roof collapsed in April and killed 236 people was arrested Thursday along with his sister. Antonio Espaillat and Maribel Espaillat have not been charged in the case, although authorities have 48 hours to present any charges before a judge. 'Both defendants displayed immense irresponsibility and negligence by failing to physically intervene to prevent the club's roof from collapsing, as it ultimately did, causing 236 deaths and more than 180 injuries,' the Dominican Republic's Attorney General's Office said in a statement. Prosecutors accused the Espaillats of trying to intimidate or manipulate company employees, adding that they could serve as witnesses in the case. Antonio Espaillat is considered a powerful businessman in the Dominican Republic; he owns upscale entertainment centers and dozens of local radio stations. Miguel Valerio, the Espaillats' attorney, told reporters that he expects to have access to the prosecutors' evidence in upcoming days. 'This is an involuntary homicide,' he said. 'Nobody wanted that to happen.' The Espaillats were arrested after being interrogated for several hours. Altanto TV, a local digital news channel, posted an interview with a man they identified as former Jet Set employee Gregory Adamés. The channel said he gave prosecutors videos and conversations with Antonio Espaillat in which he warned that the April 7 party shouldn't be held because the roof could collapse. Adamés said in a video posted on Instagram that he would hold the Espaillat family responsible if he disappears or is shot or involved in an accident. 'If something happens to me, it's clear where it came from,' he said. 'My intention is not to hurt anyone, only that the truth be known." A government-appointed committee that includes international experts is still investigating what caused the roof to collapse. Crews worked for 53 hours nonstop after arriving on the scene in Santo Domingo shortly after midnight on April 8, rescuing 189 survivors. The victims included beloved singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof caved in, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz. Also killed was former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who was pulled from the debris but died in hospital, and Dominican baseball player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera. Other victims include a retired U.N. official, New York-based fashion designer Martín Polanco, an Army captain who left behind four young girls, and three employees at Grupo Popular, a financial services company, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife. The relatives of several survivors have filed lawsuits against Antonio Espaillat. The club, which had operated for nearly five decades, was known for its Monday night merengue parties that attracted international celebrities and high-profile Dominicans.
