Tuesday marked a day that the Dominican Republic will probably never forget. In Santo Domingo, the collapse of the roof at the Jet Set nightclub has resulted nearly two hundred deaths and around two hundred and fifty injuries, a tragedy that has shaken the capital and triggered one of the largest rescue operations in the country’s history.
Authorities reported that emergency teams continued digging through the rubble without pause, in the hope of finding survivors. Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center for Emergency Operations, explained that despite the difficult conditions, some people might still be alive, and for that reason, the efforts would not stop until every corner of the collapsed structure had been thoroughly searched.
Rescue units used every possible asset: search dogs, saws, jackhammers, and even wooden planks leveraged to lift heavy debris. The air was filled with the constant sound of drills and the cries of dozens of family members gathered in front of the nightclub, desperately trying to get news about their loved ones, as survivors were still being pulled out hours after the incident.
The tragedy has also touched well-known figures in the country. Among the victims was Nelsy Cruz, governor of the province of Montecristi and sister of famous baseball player Nelson Cruz. First Lady Raquel Abraje reported that Cruz, who died shortly after being taken to the hospital, had called President Abinader to say she was trapped due to the collapse.
The Dominican professional baseball league also confirmed the death of former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who played for several teams during his career, including the Yankees, Mets, Cardinals, and Dodgers.
Another victim was the famous merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing on stage at the time of the collapse. His manager, Enrique Paulino, said the event had started around midnight and that the roof came down less than an hour later. He described the collapse as sudden, comparing it to an earthquake, and said that it had been impossible to reach the area where the artist was located due to the sheer amount of debris.
It is still unclear what caused the disaster. The management of Jet Set has pledged full cooperation with the authorities and said it was “deeply shocked” by what happened, expressing solidarity with all the families affected.
President Luis Abinader wrote on social media that the government is monitoring the situation in real-time and that all emergency agencies are working tirelessly. He personally visited the site, where he embraced the relatives of the missing and spoke with the rescuers. He also emphasized that the country would continue to hope for miraculous rescues.
