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Euronews
10-04-2025
- Euronews
Emergency officials scramble to identify 184 victims of Dominican Republic nightclub disaster
ADVERTISEMENT The death toll from a roof collapse at an iconic nightclub in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, has surged to 184. With hopes of finding potential survivors fading, dozens of people lingered outside the Dominican Republic's forensic institute for news of their loved ones. Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations, said crews at the scene were still looking for victims and potential survivors, although no one has been found alive since Tuesday afternoon. 'We're not going to abandon anyone. Our work will continue,' he said. Earlier on Wednesday, officials from the National Institute of Forensic Pathology read the names of 54 victims they had identified so far. Women cry during the search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed two nights prior during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Ricardo Hernandez/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved 'We cannot wait until nighttime!' said one woman who was waiting for news of a relative whose name she did not hear. 'We're going to go crazy!' Rescue teams called for calm, saying they had already delivered at least 28 bodies to their families but did not yet have a tally of all the bodies recovered. Shortly after, authorities raised the number of dead to at least 184, with more than 200 injured. 'The authorities are selling us false dreams!' cried out José Sánchez, whose brother and brother-in-law were still missing. The victims' names emerge The Jet Set club in Santo Domingo, which has operated for nearly five decades, was packed with musicians, professional athletes, and government officials when dust began falling from the ceiling and into people's drinks early Tuesday. The entire roof collapsed right afterwards, with concrete slabs killing some instantly and trapping dozens on the dance floor, where hundreds had been dancing to a lively merengue concert. More than 100 calls, many from persons buried beneath debris, were placed to the nation's 911 system in the minutes that followed. Rescue workers carry the recovered body of a victim who died when the roof collapsed two nights prior at the Jet Set nightclub during a merengue concert, in Santo Domingo Ricardo Hernandez/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved Some of the victims include merengue icon Rubby Pérez, who had been singing to the crowd before disaster struck. His body was found early Wednesday, said emergency operations director Juan Manuel Méndez. The Dominican Republic's Professional Baseball League, meanwhile, announced that among those killed were former baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel and Dominican player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera. Related Dominican Republic nightclub roof collapse kills at least 113 The country's president, Luis Abinader, was informed of the tragedy by Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwest province of Montecristi, who was trapped but rescued from the debris. She later died in a hospital during surgery. ADVERTISEMENT Following the rescue of 145 people from the nightclub's ruins, the authorities on Wednesday announced they were entering a recovery phase aimed at finding bodies. It is still unknown what caused the roof to cave in.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
Officials scramble to identify victims of Dominican nightclub roof collapse
The number of victims who died after a roof collapsed at a nightclub surged to 184 as dozens of people lingered outside the Dominican Republic's forensic institute for news of their loved ones still missing more than a day after disaster struck. Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations, said crews at the scene were still looking for victims and potential survivors, although no-one has been found alive since Tuesday afternoon. 'We're not going to abandon anyone. Our work will continue,' he said. Several blocks away from the rubble, people searching for friends and family donned face masks and began complaining about a bad odour as they pleaded with officials to give them information about their loved ones. Earlier in the day, National Institute of Forensic Pathology officials read the names of 54 victims they had identified so far. 'We cannot wait until night-time!' said one woman who was waiting for news of a relative whose name she did not hear. 'We're going to go crazy!' Officials called for calm, saying they had already delivered at least 28 bodies to their families but did not yet have a tally of all the bodies recovered. Late on Wednesday, officials raised the number of dead to at least 184, with more than 200 injured. 'The authorities are selling us false dreams!' cried out Jose Sanchez, whose brother and brother-in-law were still missing. – The collapse The Jet Set club in Santo Domingo was packed with musicians, professional athletes and government officials when dust began falling from the ceiling and into people's drinks early on Tuesday. Minutes later, the entire roof collapsed. Concrete slabs killed some instantly and trapped dozens of others on a dance floor where hundreds had been dancing to a lively merengue concert. In the minutes that followed, the country's 911 system received more than 100 calls, many from people buried under rubble. The victims include merengue icon Rubby Perez, who had been singing to the crowd before disaster struck. His body was found early on Wednesday, said Mr Mendez. The government announced on Wednesday evening that it was moving to a recovery phase focused on finding bodies after 145 people were rescued from the wreckage of the nightclub. Rescue crews from Puerto Rico and Israel had arrived early on Wednesday to help with the search. Santo Domingo mayor Carolina Mejia praised what she said were acts of love, including one Dominican who was handing out coffee to those at the scene and a man on vacation from Costa Rica who joined the search because he's part of a rescue crew back home. – The victims So far, only a few dozen people have been identified in one of the worst disasters to hit the Dominican Republic. Those who died include a cardiologist, a government architect, a retired police officer, a retired United Nations official, the son and daughter-in-law of the minister of public works and the brother of the vice minister of the Ministry of Youth. Also killed was former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel and Dominican player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, Satosky Terrero, spokesperson for the country's Professional Baseball League, told The Associated Press. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the north-western province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, alerted President Luis Abinader about the disaster. She called him from underneath the rubble but later died at a hospital. Other victims include saxophonist Luis Solis, who was playing onstage when the roof fell; New York-based fashion designer Martin Polanco; several Venezuelan bartenders; and an Army captain who left behind four young girls. Grupo Popular, a financial services company, said three of its employees also died, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife. One man tearfully told reporters that he lost five relatives, including his wife and son. Dozens of victims remained unidentified. 'I have been to many hospitals, and I have not found her,' Deysi Suriel said of her friend, 61-year-old Milca Curiel, a North Carolina resident who was on vacation in the Dominican Republic. Health Minister Dr Víctor Elias Atallah Lajam announced the creation of a commission to provide psychological help for the victims' families. More than 20 of the injured remained in hospital on Wednesday, including at least eight in critical condition. 'A point in their favour is that they're young,' said Dr Julio Landron, director general of the Dr Ney Arias Lora Trauma Hospital, which has 21 of the Jet Set injured, including five in critical condition. Dr Landron warned, however, that none of them are in the clear, noting some suffered fractures in the skull, femur and pelvis. 'They spent hours, more than six, seven, eight hours under rubble with multiple fractures, multiple injuries, with bleeding related to being crushed,' he said. – The search Dozens of frantic relatives listened to officials read aloud a list of the identified victims at the forensics institute, while others went from hospital to hospital looking for their loved ones, some clutching photographs. 'Francisco Alberto Mendez… Rosa Herminia Perez… Ramon Teodoro Jimenez… Juan Manuel Santana,' one official read as the crowd strained to listen. 'Here! Here!' yelled one person upon hearing the name of their loved one. In the crowd was Virginia Rosario, who was looking for relatives including her cousin, who is still missing, and her sister, Rosa Herminia Perez, who died and whom she described as 'beautiful, precious, very nice'. 'I'm in a lot of pain,' she said. 'I have had many moments of despair.' Officials said late on Wednesday morning that they had not been able to identify at least 33 bodies. 'This is a very traumatic situation,' said national legislator Pedro Martinez, who also has relatives missing. Among those searching for friends and family was Kimberly Jones, whose godson, 45-year-old artist Osiris Blanc, and his friends were missing. 'It was their favourite place, they went there almost every Monday,' Ms Jones said. She said her niece also was missing. It was not immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse, or when the Jet Set building was last inspected. The club issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities. A spokesperson for the family that owns the club told The Associated Press that she passed along questions about potential inspections. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works referred questions to the mayor's office. A spokesperson for the mayor's office did not respond to a request for comment.
The Independent
09-04-2025
- The Independent
Dominican Republic nightclub roof collapse death toll soars to 98 as ex-baseball star confirmed killed
Rescue workers are frantically searching for survivors in the rubble of an iconic Dominican Republic nightclub where 98 people were killed and over 160 injured after the roof collapsed on concertgoers. About 12 hours after the tragedy struck at the Jet Set nightclub in the capital city of Santo Domingo, rescue workers say they are hearing sounds of survivors in the rubble of mangled concrete and iron bars. The dead include former Major League Baseball player Octavio Dotel, 51. Another Dominican baseball player, Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, was also killed, league spokesperson Satosky Terrero confirmed. There were almost 300 people inside the one-storey club for a concert by merengue artist Rubby Pérez and his orchestra when the roof came crashing down at around 1am local time on Tuesday. The whereabouts of Mr Pérez and his band remain unknown. Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations, said they were hopeful of pulling out survivors. "We continue clearing debris and searching for people," he said on Tuesday night. "We are going to search tirelessly for people." Mr Mendez said that rescue crews were prioritising three areas of the nightclub where they were 'hearing some sounds'. The rescuer workers removed broken concrete blocks and used sawed pieces of wood as planks to lift heavy debris as the noise of drills breaking through concrete filled the air. Relatives of the missing concertgoers gathered at the scene with pictures of their loved ones as the injured were taken to hospitals in ambulances. Aerial footage of the site shows a gaping hole in the middle of the venue. Footage from inside the club purports to show the final moments before the roof collapse: It shows the orchestra playing as people enjoying in front of the stage are startled by a loud noise of a collapsing roof before the lights turn off and video goes dark. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi and sister of Major League Baseball star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims as well. She had called president Luis Abinader at 12.49am, saying she was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, first lady Raquel Abraje told reporters. Officials said she died later at the hospital. 'This is too great a tragedy,' the first lady said, her voice breaking. Fellow national politician Bray Vargas was among those injured. Opened in 1973, Jet Set is an iconic nightclub located in southern Santo Domingo. It was known for its 'Jet Set Mondays' that featured local and international artists. The club, which underwent renovations in 2010 and 2015, was struck by lightning in 2023. The reason for the roof collapse is unknown. The club's owner, Antonio Espaillat, who was out of the country and returned on Tuesday, issued a statement saying they were cooperating with authorities. "There are no words to express the pain this event has caused,' he said. 'What happened has been devastating for everyone." Family members of Mr Perez, the singer who was performing when the roof collapsed, initially said he had been rescued, but Mr Mendez later said rescue crews were still looking for him. The singer's manager, Enrique Paulino, whose shirt was spattered with blood, told reporters at the scene the concert started shortly before midnight with the roof collapsing almost an hour later, killing the band's saxophonist. 'It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner," he said, adding that he initially thought it was an earthquake. A makeshift morgue was set up near the club to keep the dead bodies as relatives gathered to find their loved ones. More than 120 people lined up to donate blood at two different centres. Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the concert but did not return home, was among those anxiously waiting outside the club. 'We are holding on only to God," Mr Olivo said. Mr Abinader said all rescue agencies were "working tirelessly" to help those affected. "We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred," the president wrote on X. Mr Abinader arrived at the scene and hugged those looking for friends and family, some with tears streaming down their faces. "We have faith in God that we will rescue even more people alive," the president told reporters.
Sky News
09-04-2025
- Sky News
At least 98 dead after roof collapses at Dominican Republic nightclub
At least 98 people have died after the roof collapsed at a nightclub in the capital of the Dominican Republic, authorities said. At least 160 people were injured, with crews searching for potential survivors in the rubble of the Jet Set club in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations. "We continue clearing debris and searching for people," he said. "We're going to search tirelessly for people." Rescue workers were prioritising three areas in the club, he said, adding: "We're hearing some sounds." The cause of the roof collapse is not yet clear. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northern Montecristi province, is among those to have died. Octavio Dotel, a former MLB pitcher who won a world championship with the St Louis Cardinals and played for 13 teams in a 15-year career, was also among the victims. Dotel, 51, died en route to a local hospital after being pulled from the debris, a spokesman for the nation's sports ministry said Meanwhile, the injured include Dominican singer Rubby Perez, who was performing when the roof collapsed. His manager Enrique Paulino, whose shirt was spattered with blood, told reporters at the scene that the concert began shortly before midnight, with the roof collapsing almost an hour later, killing the group's saxophonist. Mr Paulino said: "It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner." He added that he initially thought there had been an earthquake. Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader wrote on X: "We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred. All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families." Mr Abinader arrived at the scene and hugged those looking for friends and family, some with tears streaming down their faces. He did not speak to reporters. An official with a megaphone stood outside the club imploring the large crowd, which had gathered to search for friends and relatives, to give ambulances space. "You have to cooperate with authorities... please," he said. "We are removing people." At one hospital where the injured were taken, an official stood outside reading aloud the names of survivors as a crowd gathered around her and shouted out the names of their loved ones.
Sky News
09-04-2025
- Sky News
At least 79 dead after roof collapses at Dominican Republic nightclub
At least 79 people have died after the roof collapsed at a nightclub in the capital of the Dominican Republic, authorities said. At least 160 people were injured, with crews searching for potential survivors in the rubble of the Jet Set club in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations. "We continue clearing debris and searching for people," he said. "We're going to search tirelessly for people." Rescue workers were prioritising three areas in the club, he said, adding: "We're hearing some sounds." The cause of the roof collapse is not yet clear. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northern Montecristi province, is among those to have died. Octavio Dotel, a former MLB pitcher who won a world championship with the St Louis Cardinals and played for 13 teams in a 15-year career, was also among the victims. Dotel, 51, died en route to a local hospital after being pulled from the debris, a spokesman for the nation's sports ministry said Meanwhile, the injured include Dominican singer Rubby Perez, who was performing when the roof collapsed. His manager Enrique Paulino, whose shirt was spattered with blood, told reporters at the scene that the concert began shortly before midnight, with the roof collapsing almost an hour later, killing the group's saxophonist. Mr Paulino said: "It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner." He added that he initially thought there had been an earthquake. Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader wrote on X: "We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred. All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families." Mr Abinader arrived at the scene and hugged those looking for friends and family, some with tears streaming down their faces. He did not speak to reporters. An official with a megaphone stood outside the club imploring the large crowd, which had gathered to search for friends and relatives, to give ambulances space. "You have to cooperate with authorities... please," he said. "We are removing people." At one hospital where the injured were taken, an official stood outside reading aloud the names of survivors as a crowd gathered around her and shouted out the names of their loved ones.
