Governor, 43 Dead, 160 Injured In Nightclub Roof Collapse
LAGOS APRIL 8TH (NEWSRANGERS)-No fewer than 27 people, including a provincial governor, were feared killed and 134 more injured in the early hours of Tuesday when the roof of a nightclub in the Dominican capital, Santo Domingo, collapsed.
Head of the Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Centre, Juan Manuel Mendez, said rescue crews were working to pull out people still believed to be trapped under the rubble.
Mendez did not provide a tally for the number of people thought to have been inside the Jet Set nightclub, located near the coast.
According to President Luis Abinader, the dead included Nelsy Cruz, governor of the northern Monte Cristi province.
“We deeply regret the tragedy. Our prayers are with the affected families,” he wrote on X, adding that authorities were working tirelessly to recover the victims.
Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, early Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Noticias SIN via AP)
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — At least 44 people died and 160 others were injured in the Dominican capital early Tuesday when the roof collapsed at an iconic nightclub where politicians, athletes and others were attending a merengue concert, authorities said.
Crews were searching for potential survivors in the rubble at the one-story Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations.
“We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,” he said.
Nearly 12 hours after the top of the nightclub collapsed down onto patrons, rescue crews were still pulling out survivors from the debris. At the scene, firefighters removed blocks of broken concrete and sawed planks of wood to use them as planks to lift heavy debris as the noise of drills breaking through concrete filled the air.
The confirmed death toll had reached 44, Mendez said in the early afternoon. Earlier, officials had said there were at least 160 people injured.
Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims. She had called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 a.m. saying she was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, First Lady Raquel Abraje told reporters. Officials said Cruz died later at the hospital.
“This is too great a tragedy,” Abraje said in a broken voice.
Meanwhile, the injured include former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, legislator Bray Vargas and merengue singer Rubby Perez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, officials said.
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.
“It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner,” he said, adding that he initially thought it was an earthquake.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse.
Jet Set issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities. “The loss of human life leaves us in a state of deep pain and dismay,” it said.
Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the concert but did not return home, was among those anxiously waiting outside the club known for its traditional parties held on Monday where renowned national and international artists perform.
“We’re holding on only to God,,” Olivo said.
Also awaiting word was Massiel Cuevas, godmother of 22-year-old Darlenys Batista.
“I’m waiting for her. She’s in there, I know she’s in there,” Cuevas said, firm in her belief that Batista would be pulled out alive.
President Abinader wrote on X that all rescue agencies are “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,” he wrote.
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,” he told reporters.
An official with a megaphone stood outside the club imploring the large crowd that 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 yelled out the names of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, dozens of people gathered at the National Institute of Forensic Pathology, which projected pictures of the victims so their loved ones could identify them.
CCTV NEWS
For advert media placement, events coverage, media consultancy, placement of publications and further inquiries please WhatsApp 2348023773039 or email: labakevwe@yahoo.com
Short URL: https://newsrangers.com/?p=134538
Posted by News Rangers
on Apr 8 2025. Filed under Entertainment, International, National.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
