Latest news with #RubbyPerez
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Dominicans demand justice after nightclub collapse
SANTO DOMINGO: Dozens of people and families of victims of a nightclub collapse in the Dominican Republic last month, which left 233 people dead, gathered Thursday at a vigil to demand justice. The roof of the Jet Set nightclub came crashing down in the early hours of April 8 on hundreds of people attending a concert by merengue star Rubby Perez, in the Caribbean nation's worst disaster in decades. The club's owner told local media last month the roof had been leaking for years and had 'never' been inspected by authorities. At least 38 lawsuits have been lodged against the club's owners. A memorial of flowers, candles and photos of the victims has been erected at the entrance of the club, now blocked from public access, along with placards calling for justice. 'We want justice, because this has been very painful for all of us,' 46-year-old Fanny Martinez, whose sister and niece died in the tragedy, told AFP. She said her family is preparing a lawsuit against the club's managers because 'if it stays like this, the pain will be greater if things are go unpunished.' Martinez's sister, who lived in Spain, and her niece, who worked at the Guatemalan Embassy in the Dominican Republic, were visiting the club for the first time. 'We can't sleep. Every day that goes by, it affects us more... it sticks in our heads. It's a very hard ordeal, and that's why we want justice,' she said with tears in her eyes. An investigation has been opened and Dominican President Luis Abinader has vowed there will be 'no government intervention' in the judicial process. The Dominican Republic has no law requiring privately-owned buildings to undergo safety inspections. After the disaster President Luis Abinader said the government was drafting a bill making inspections mandatory. The lawsuits include charges of manslaughter against the club's managers, and of negligence against various public institutions.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Dominican Nightclub Collapse: 233 Dead, Justice Demanded
SANTO DOMINGO: Dozens of people and families of victims of a nightclub collapse in the Dominican Republic last month, which left 233 people dead, gathered Thursday at a vigil to demand justice. The roof of the Jet Set nightclub came crashing down in the early hours of April 8 on hundreds of people attending a concert by merengue star Rubby Perez, in the Caribbean nation's worst disaster in decades. The club's owner told local media last month the roof had been leaking for years and had 'never' been inspected by authorities. At least 38 lawsuits have been lodged against the club's owners. A memorial of flowers, candles and photos of the victims has been erected at the entrance of the club, now blocked from public access, along with placards calling for justice. 'We want justice, because this has been very painful for all of us,' 46-year-old Fanny Martinez, whose sister and niece died in the tragedy, told AFP. She said her family is preparing a lawsuit against the club's managers because 'if it stays like this, the pain will be greater if things are go unpunished.' Martinez's sister, who lived in Spain, and her niece, who worked at the Guatemalan Embassy in the Dominican Republic, were visiting the club for the first time. 'We can't sleep. Every day that goes by, it affects us more... it sticks in our heads. It's a very hard ordeal, and that's why we want justice,' she said with tears in her eyes. An investigation has been opened and Dominican President Luis Abinader has vowed there will be 'no government intervention' in the judicial process. The Dominican Republic has no law requiring privately-owned buildings to undergo safety inspections. After the disaster President Luis Abinader said the government was drafting a bill making inspections mandatory. The lawsuits include charges of manslaughter against the club's managers, and of negligence against various public institutions.
Jordan Times
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Death toll from Dominican nightclub disaster rises to 231
SANTO DOMINGO — The toll from a nightclub roof collapse in the Dominican Republic last week has risen to 231, the country's interior minister said Monday, after five more people succumbed to their injuries in hospital. The roof of the Jet Set nightclub in the capital Santo Domingo came crashing down in the early hours of Tuesday last week on hundreds of people attending a concert by merengue star Rubby Perez, who also died in the Caribbean nation's worst disaster in decades. More than 300 rescuers, aided by sniffer dogs, worked tirelessly for days to find survivors, and pulled 189 people alive from the mounds of twisted steel, zinc and brick that remain of the structure. Identification of the deceased, and the handing over of remains to loved ones, was concluded early Saturday. The Dominican government has announced a commission of national and international experts to investigate the calamity. "We have confirmed a number of fatalities from the disaster that currently stands at 231 deaths: 221 were recovered from the site and 10 more were recovered in hospitals," Dominican Interior Minister Faride Raful told reporters Monday. New York mayor Eric Adams arrived in Santo Domingo on Sunday and was scheduled to visit the disaster site. Aerial images of the site show a scene resembling the aftermath of an earthquake. A preliminary list of victims includes a Haitian, an Italian, two French citizens and, according to the US State Department, "several" Americans. President Luis Abinader has pledged to find out "what happened, why it happened, how it happened." The six days of mourning decreed by Abinader ended Sunday.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Death toll from Dominican nightclub disaster rises to 231: minister
The toll from a nightclub roof collapse in the Dominican Republic last week has risen to 231, the country's interior minister said Monday, after five more people succumbed to their injuries in hospital. The roof of the Jet Set nightclub in the capital Santo Domingo came crashing down in the early hours of Tuesday last week on hundreds of people attending a concert by merengue star Rubby Perez, who also died in the Caribbean nation's worst disaster in decades. More than 300 rescuers, aided by sniffer dogs, worked tirelessly for days to find survivors, and pulled 189 people alive from the mounds of twisted steel, zinc and brick that remain of the structure. Identification of the deceased, and the handing over of remains to loved ones, was concluded early Saturday. The Dominican government has announced a commission of national and international experts to investigate the calamity. "We have confirmed a number of fatalities from the disaster that currently stands at 231 deaths: 221 were recovered from the site and 10 more were recovered in hospitals," Dominican Interior Minister Faride Raful told reporters Monday. New York mayor Eric Adams arrived in Santo Domingo on Sunday and was scheduled to visit the disaster site. Aerial images of the site show a scene resembling the aftermath of an earthquake. A preliminary list of victims includes a Haitian, an Italian, two French citizens and, according to the US State Department, "several" Americans. President Luis Abinader has pledged to find out "what happened, why it happened, how it happened." The six days of mourning decreed by Abinader ended Sunday. jt/ba/val/mlr/st
Khaleej Times
12-04-2025
- Khaleej Times
UAE expresses solidarity with Dominican Republic as death toll from building roof collapse tops 200
The UAE has expressed its solidarity with the Dominican Republic and offered its sincere condolences for the victims of a building roof collapse that resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the UAE extends "its heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the Dominican Republic, its friendly people, and the families of the victims of this tragic incident, wishing a speedy recovery to all those injured". The Dominican government released a report on Friday on the tragedy that left at least 221 people dead. The report did not clarify the causes of the tragedy, while a team of national and international experts is expected to continue investigating the structural failure. The collapse occurred shortly after midnight on Tuesday at the Jet Set nightclub during a crowded concert by merengue singer Rubby Perez, who was among those killed. More than 4,500 emergency workers were deployed to the scene, working for nearly 59 hours after the tragedy to search for survivors, recover bodies and assist families. A total of 189 people were rescued from the rubble, while 17 people still remain hospitalized, the national health service said. The Emergency Operations Centre (COE) said the venue was at full capacity, though the exact number of attendees and the cause of the collapse remain under investigation. Local media and ticketing sites indicate the club could accommodate between 700 and 1,000 people. As families continue to mourn their loved ones, the National Institute of Forensic Pathology is still working to identify the victims and return remains to relatives. "This is the hardest task I've had in my 20 years of leading the COE," said Emergency Operations Center chief Juan Manuel Mendez on Thursday. President Luis Abinader is scheduled to attend a memorial mass at the Polideportivo De Haina sports center this Sunday, the last day of the national mourning period.
