Latest news with #Espaillat
Global News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Jet Set nightclub owner ‘destroyed' by roof collapse that killed 232
The owner of a Dominican Republic nightclub where 232 people died following a roof collapse earlier this month has admitted that the building had been riddled with structural issues for more than a decade, and that plasterboard was used on multiple occasions to make repairs. On Wednesday, in his first interview since the April 8 disaster, Antonio Espaillat, the manager and owner of the plagued Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, told local TV station Telesistema that plasterboard had been added to the roof hours before it caved in. Story continues below advertisement According to The Associated Press, he noted that plasterboard had fallen repeatedly through the years, including when water filtered through the club's air conditioning units. Espaillat confirmed no one ever inspected the roof or water filtration systems. He told reporters there were six air conditioning units on the roof, plus three water tanks, and that an electric generator was installed in an adjacent room, not on the roof. Every six to eight years, a specialized crew would waterproof the roof, with the last waterproofing done about a month before the collapse, he explained. 'We always bought plasterboard. Always,' he continued. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Espaillat first learned of the tragedy when his sister called him while trapped in the debris alongside hundreds of other people who were attending a concert by merengue musician Rubby Pérez, who was among those killed. He was in Las Vegas attending a convention when he received the news. 'To the families of the victims, I want to say I'm sorry. I'm very sorry,' Espaillat said. 'I am destroyed,' he continued, adding that if he could have prevented the collapse, he would have done everything in his power to do so. 'There was no warning, nothing. We were all surprised,' he said. Story continues below advertisement Espaillat did not attend the scene during rescue efforts over concerns for his safety as angry crowds had gathered at the site. View image in full screen A woman argues with Forensic National Institute morgue employees regarding delays in information following a roof collapse at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo earlier this month. MARTIN BERNETTI / Getty Images The club, which was founded 52 years ago by Espaillat's mother, Ana Grecia López, when he was just six years old, had become a pillar of the city's nightlife, and remained in the same location for three decades before it collapsed this month with about 515 people inside, the owner said. View image in full screen Friends and relatives gather outside the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo on April 12, 2025, to pay tribute to the victims who died when the building's roof collapsed earlier this month. EDDY VITTINI / Getty Images In the 53 hours following the disaster, rescue crews found 189 survivors. Dozens of others were hospitalized. Story continues below advertisement The victims included seven doctors, a retired United Nations official, former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, the AP reported. At least three lawsuits have been filed against the owners, the Dominican government, and the Santo Domingo mayor's office. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages from all and a criminal conviction for involuntary manslaughter against the owners. Espaillat said he has barely slept in the weeks since the roof caved in and that he has been in touch with the families of his employees and some of the victims. 'I'm going to face everything,' he said. 'I'm not going anywhere.' Since the disaster, questions have been raised about the safety of buildings across Santo Domingo and the rest of the country. The Dominican government has created an expert task force dedicated to investigating the cause of the incident. There is currently no government agency dedicated to inspecting the buildings of private businesses in the Dominican Republic, although President Luis Abinader announced last week that new legislation is expected to change that. — With files from the Associated Press
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Owner of Dominican nightclub says plaster tiles often fell from ceiling years before deadly roof collapse
Two weeks after the roof of a popular nightclub collapsed and killed more than 200 people in the Dominican Republic, the venue's owner acknowledged that the ceiling was made of plaster tiles that frequently fell and said the venue never received a structural review from Dominican authorities. Businessman Antonio Espaillat, who co-owns the establishment with his mother, said in an interview with CNN affiliate Telesistema that aired on Wednesday that the tiles were frequently replaced after they were damaged by water leaking from the air conditioning units positioned on the roof. Espaillat said that this happened regularly throughout all the years that he has operated the venue – even on the very day of the collapse. More than 300 people were inside Jet Set nightclub in the capital of Santo Domingo when the roof collapsed around 1 a.m. on the morning of April 8 during a performance of merengue artist Rubby Pérez and his orchestra, authorities said. Espaillat's own sister was among those trapped under the rubble, he said. The disaster left at least 232 dead, including Pérez, and more than 180 injured, according to official figures. Espaillat stated that in the nightclub's 30 years of operation, the venue was 'never' subjected to a structural review by authorities during routine safety and health inspections, nor did he discuss the building's structural integrity with private engineers. The structure only received checks from firefighters and the departments of Labor and Health, he said. He said that he did not know the exact weight of the air conditioners located on the roof or if they affected the structure of the building. Espaillat asserted that he had never received any formal warnings about the risks posed by having a ceiling in disrepair and that he is 'the first one who wants to know what happened.' 'Since this happened, I have had no life,' he said, 'I am completely devastated.' CNN has reached out to Espaillat about the comments he made during the interview but has not received a response. Espaillat said he was informed about the collapse by his sister Maribel, who called him while trapped under the rubble. 'She said: 'Antonio, something incredible has happened… we heard an explosion, and the entire roof has collapsed,'' Espaillat told Telesistema. Maribel later told local newspaper Diario Libre that her husband, Daniel Vera Pichardo, covered her with his body to protect her from the falling roof. The two survived the incident. Espaillat, who was in Las Vegas for a business conference, said he flew to Santo Domingo the next day. 'I had no idea and couldn't believe it was something of this magnitude,' he said. unknown content item - The relatives of Virgilio Rafael Cruz Aponte, who died in the collapse, have filed a civil suit against the nightclub owners and local authorities, claiming the disaster was the result of structural negligence and failures in state supervision, Félix Portes, the plaintiffs' lawyer, told CNN. Espaillat has not commented on the case. Two days after the tragedy, the Dominican government pledged to form a technical team to forensically investigate what caused such a disaster. CNN has asked Dominican authorities for an update on the investigation's progress. Espaillat has said that he has been in contact with the families of employees who are deceased or injured and intends to accompany them in this process. 'I am here, and I am going to face everything. I am not going anywhere; I will be here, and everything that is within my reach and everything I can do, I will do,' he emphasized. When questioned about whether this could have been avoided, Espaillat said he felt 'powerless.' 'If there had been something that caught my attention or that they (my staff and private contractors) had told me: 'look, we need to check this, that, or the other,' I would have gladly done it,' he said.
CNN
24-04-2025
- CNN
Owner of Dominican nightclub says plaster tiles often fell from ceiling before deadly roof collapse
Two weeks after the roof of a popular nightclub collapsed and killed more than 200 people in the Dominican Republic, the venue's owner acknowledged that the ceiling was made of plaster tiles that frequently fell and said the venue never received a structural review from Dominican authorities. Businessman Antonio Espaillat, who co-owns the establishment with his mother, said in an interview with CNN affiliate Telesistema that aired on Wednesday that the tiles were frequently replaced after they were damaged by water leaking from the air conditioning units positioned on the roof. Espaillat said that this happened regularly throughout all the years that he has operated the venue – even on the very day of the collapse. More than 300 people were inside Jet Set nightclub in the capital of Santo Domingo when the roof collapsed around 1 a.m. on the morning of April 8 during a performance of merengue artist Rubby Pérez and his orchestra, authorities said. Espaillat's own sister was among those trapped under the rubble, he said. The disaster left at least 232 dead, including Pérez, and more than 180 injured, according to official figures. Espaillat stated that in the nightclub's 30 years of operation, the venue was 'never' subjected to a structural review by authorities during routine safety and health inspections, nor did he discuss the building's structural integrity with private engineers. The structure only received checks from firefighters and the departments of Labor and Health, he said. He said that he did not know the exact weight of the air conditioners located on the roof or if they affected the structure of the building. Espaillat asserted that he had never received any formal warnings about the risks posed by having a ceiling in disrepair and that he is 'the first one who wants to know what happened.' 'Since this happened, I have had no life,' he said, 'I am completely devastated.' CNN has reached out to Espaillat about the comments he made during the interview but has not received a response. Espaillat said he was informed about the collapse by his sister Maribel, who called him while trapped under the rubble. 'She said: 'Antonio, something incredible has happened… we heard an explosion, and the entire roof has collapsed,'' Espaillat told Telesistema. Maribel later told local newspaper Diario Libre that her husband, Daniel Vera Pichardo, covered her with his body to protect her from the falling roof. The two survived the incident. Espaillat, who was in Las Vegas for a business conference, said he flew to Santo Domingo the next day. 'I had no idea and couldn't believe it was something of this magnitude,' he said. Prev Next The relatives of Virgilio Rafael Cruz Aponte, who died in the collapse, have filed a civil suit against the nightclub owners and local authorities, claiming the disaster was the result of structural negligence and failures in state supervision, Félix Portes, the plaintiffs' lawyer, told CNN. Espaillat has not commented on the case. Two days after the tragedy, the Dominican government pledged to form a technical team to forensically investigate what caused such a disaster. CNN has asked Dominican authorities for an update on the investigation's progress. Espaillat has said that he has been in contact with the families of employees who are deceased or injured and intends to accompany them in this process. 'I am here, and I am going to face everything. I am not going anywhere; I will be here, and everything that is within my reach and everything I can do, I will do,' he emphasized. When questioned about whether this could have been avoided, Espaillat said he felt 'powerless.' 'If there had been something that caught my attention or that they (my staff and private contractors) had told me: 'look, we need to check this, that, or the other,' I would have gladly done it,' he said.
CNN
24-04-2025
- CNN
Owner of Dominican nightclub says plaster tiles often fell from ceiling before deadly roof collapse
Two weeks after the roof of a popular nightclub collapsed and killed more than 200 people in the Dominican Republic, the venue's owner acknowledged that the ceiling was made of plaster tiles that frequently fell and said the venue never received a structural review from Dominican authorities. Businessman Antonio Espaillat, who co-owns the establishment with his mother, said in an interview with CNN affiliate Telesistema that aired on Wednesday that the tiles were frequently replaced after they were damaged by water leaking from the air conditioning units positioned on the roof. Espaillat said that this happened regularly throughout all the years that he has operated the venue – even on the very day of the collapse. More than 300 people were inside Jet Set nightclub in the capital of Santo Domingo when the roof collapsed around 1 a.m. on the morning of April 8 during a performance of merengue artist Rubby Pérez and his orchestra, authorities said. Espaillat's own sister was among those trapped under the rubble, he said. The disaster left at least 232 dead, including Pérez, and more than 180 injured, according to official figures. Espaillat stated that in the nightclub's 30 years of operation, the venue was 'never' subjected to a structural review by authorities during routine safety and health inspections, nor did he discuss the building's structural integrity with private engineers. The structure only received checks from firefighters and the departments of Labor and Health, he said. He said that he did not know the exact weight of the air conditioners located on the roof or if they affected the structure of the building. Espaillat asserted that he had never received any formal warnings about the risks posed by having a ceiling in disrepair and that he is 'the first one who wants to know what happened.' 'Since this happened, I have had no life,' he said, 'I am completely devastated.' CNN has reached out to Espaillat about the comments he made during the interview but has not received a response. Espaillat said he was informed about the collapse by his sister Maribel, who called him while trapped under the rubble. 'She said: 'Antonio, something incredible has happened… we heard an explosion, and the entire roof has collapsed,'' Espaillat told Telesistema. Maribel later told local newspaper Diario Libre that her husband, Daniel Vera Pichardo, covered her with his body to protect her from the falling roof. The two survived the incident. Espaillat, who was in Las Vegas for a business conference, said he flew to Santo Domingo the next day. 'I had no idea and couldn't believe it was something of this magnitude,' he said. Prev Next The relatives of Virgilio Rafael Cruz Aponte, who died in the collapse, have filed a civil suit against the nightclub owners and local authorities, claiming the disaster was the result of structural negligence and failures in state supervision, Félix Portes, the plaintiffs' lawyer, told CNN. Espaillat has not commented on the case. Two days after the tragedy, the Dominican government pledged to form a technical team to forensically investigate what caused such a disaster. CNN has asked Dominican authorities for an update on the investigation's progress. Espaillat has said that he has been in contact with the families of employees who are deceased or injured and intends to accompany them in this process. 'I am here, and I am going to face everything. I am not going anywhere; I will be here, and everything that is within my reach and everything I can do, I will do,' he emphasized. When questioned about whether this could have been avoided, Espaillat said he felt 'powerless.' 'If there had been something that caught my attention or that they (my staff and private contractors) had told me: 'look, we need to check this, that, or the other,' I would have gladly done it,' he said.
New York Post
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Owner of collapsed Dominican Republic nightclub breaks silence — and reveals years of problems before tragedy left 232 dead
A roof that collapsed at a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic and killed 232 people this month had filtration problems for decades and had been repeatedly fixed with plasterboard, according to its owner. Antonio Espaillat, who also serves as manager of the Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, spoke with local TV station Telesistema on Wednesday in his first interview since the April 8 disaster. Espaillat told a reporter with El Día news program that employees had added new plasterboard to the roof hours before the collapse. 4 Antonio Espaillat told a reporter with El Día news program that employees had added new plasterboard to the roof hours before the collapse. instagram/jetsetclubrd He noted that plasterboard had fallen repeatedly throughout the years for reasons including water that filtered through the club's air conditioning units. However, Espaillat said no one ever inspected the roof or water filtrations. 'We always bought plasterboard. Always,' said Espaillat, who spoke in a subdued manner throughout the nearly one-hour interview. A spokeswoman for Espaillat did not return a message for comment seeking an interview with him. Espaillat said he learned about the collapse when his sister called him from underneath the debris, trapped along with hundreds of others attending a concert by beloved merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was among those killed. 'To the families of the victims, I want to say I'm sorry. I'm very sorry,' Espaillat said. 'I am completely destroyed.' 'We were all surprised' Espaillat said he was 6 years old when his mother founded the legendary club 52 years ago. The club later moved to a space occupied by a shuttered movie theater and remained in that location for 30 years until the collapse. 4 Aerial view shows rescue teams working at the Jet Set nightclub a day after the collapse of its roof in Santo Domingo on April 9, 2025. AFP via Getty Images He said there were six air-conditioning units on the roof, plus three water tanks. An electric plant was installed in an adjacent room, not on the roof, he added. Every six to eight years, a specialized crew would waterproof the roof, with the last waterproofing done about a month before the collapse, he said. The heavy woofers that boomed music at Jet Set, known for its merengue parties held every Monday, were on the floor, he said. Espaillat said if there was something he could have done to avoid the collapse, he would have done it. 'There was no warning, nothing. We were all surprised,' he said. 'I'm going to face everything' The Dominican government has created a committee that includes local and international experts tasked with investigating the collapse. About 515 people were at Jet Set when the roof fell on the crowd, according to Espaillat. 4 Family and friends grieve during the burial service of Marilenny Pilarte who died at the Jet Set nightclub when its roof collapsed, in Haina, Dominican Republic, Thursday, April 10, 2025. AP In the 53 hours following the disaster, crews rescued 189 survivors. Dozens of others were hospitalized. The 232 victims include seven doctors; a retired U.N. official; former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera; and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, At least three lawsuits have been filed. Espaillat, who said he usually attended Jet Set's Monday merengue parties, was in Las Vegas for a convention when his sister called. 'How can a roof collapse?' he recalled wondering as he flew back to the Dominican Republic. Espaillat said he did not immediately visit the site upon arriving because officials worried about his safety, noting that people at the scene were angry. 4 Rescue teams work at the Jet Set nightclub a day after the collapse of its roof in Santo Domingo on April 9, 2025. AFP via Getty Images He said he hasn't slept much since the disaster, and that he has talked to the families of his employees and some of the victim's relatives. 'I'm going to face everything,' he said. 'I'm not going anywhere.' An ongoing investigation The investigation into what caused the collapse could take a couple of months and has raised questions about the safety of infrastructure across Santo Domingo and beyond. There is currently no government agency tasked with inspecting the buildings of private businesses in the Dominican Republic, although President Luis Abinader announced last week that new legislation is expected to change that. Yamil Castillo, a structural engineer and vice president of the Society of Engineers of Puerto Rico, said water leaks can be extremely damaging and should be taken care of immediately. Castillo, who is not involved in investigating the collapse, warned that water seeping into the different materials that compose a roof can weigh it down, in addition to whatever else is placed on the roof, including air conditioning units. Salty air also cause corrosion and roof damage, he said. 'Those leaks should have been fixed,' Castillo said, adding that replacing the plasterboard was not enough.
