The roof of a nightclub in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, fell during a performance by well-known singer Rubby Perez, who perished in the tragedy, killing about 100 people.
More than 24 hours after the structure collapsed, rescuers were rushing to locate survivors early on Wednesday, but the effort was becoming more and more concentrated on collecting dead. There have been roughly 370 rescue workers searching among piles of falling bricks, steel bars, and tin sheets.
The death toll began at 15 and continued to rise throughout Tuesday. The country’s emergency operations center director, Juan Manuel Mendez, reported that the preliminary toll had risen to 98 by early Wednesday.
“As long as there is hope for life, all authorities will be working to recover or rescue these people,” he added.
According to his manager Enrique Paulino, Perez, 69, a well-known Dominican merengue musician, was performing on stage at the Jet Set nightclub when the ceiling collapsed just after midnight on Tuesday
Octavio Dotel, a 51-year-old former Major League Baseball pitcher who won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, was also among the deceased. He was found alive but died of his injuries while being taken to hospital, local media reported. “Peace to his soul,” the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League tweeted on social media.
According to Dominican media, the club had between 500 and 1,000 attendees when the tragedy occurred. The space can accommodate roughly 1,000 people standing and 700 people seated.
Scores of people gathered outside the club, anxious to hear from their loved ones, while dozens of ambulances transported the injured to the hospital.
Zulinka, Perez’s daughter, told reporters that although her father did not escape when the roof collapsed, she did.
President Luis Abinader, who visited the scene and proclaimed three days of national mourning, said that Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the Monte Cristi municipality, was also among the dead.
Attendee Iris Pena described her escape with her son on local news.
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She claimed that at one point, dirt began to fall into the drink on the table like dust. “We left the table where we were after a stone landed and struck it. It was so powerful that it seemed like an earthquake or tsunami”
Hospitals were crowded with family members seeking news. Regina del Rosa, whose sister attended the performance, told Dominican media, “We are desperate.” “They are not providing us with any information or news.”
A big hole where the club’s roof used to be was visible in helicopter photos. While guys wearing hard hats combed through the debris, a crane assisted in lifting some of the larger material. Authorities have issued a call for Dominicans to donate blood.
According to their Instagram feed, the Jet Set club has been performing every Monday for almost 50 years. In a statement released on Tuesday, the club said it was collaborating with authorities “fully and transparently.”
-Deeprows News
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