Nightclub Roof Collapse in DR: Death Toll Hits 226

Post by: Layla Badr

Photo: AFP

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – A tragic nightclub roof collapse in the Dominican Republic has taken the lives of 226 people, according to official reports released on Saturday. The accident occurred early Tuesday at the Jet Set nightclub, a popular venue in the capital, Santo Domingo, during a live concert by famous merengue singer Rubby Perez.

Authorities confirmed that 221 people died at the scene, and four more later died in the hospital. Another victim, a Costa Rican citizen, passed away on Saturday, raising the confirmed death toll to 226. Health Minister Victor Atallah said that many of the injured are still fighting for their lives in hospitals due to severe burns and injuries.

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Rubby Perez, the 69-year-old music icon, also lost his life in the collapse. His funeral was held at the National Theater on Thursday and was attended by President Luis Abinader and the singer's daughter, Zulinka Perez, who survived the disaster. The club was filled with hundreds of people who had come to enjoy the performance when the roof suddenly gave way, causing mass panic and destruction.

This heartbreaking event is now considered the worst tragedy in the Dominican Republic in recent decades, surpassing the deadly prison fire in 2005 in Higuey, which claimed 136 lives.

The President’s office said that 189 people were pulled alive from the wreckage, which has now become a pile of broken bricks and twisted metal. Aerial images of the site show scenes similar to the aftermath of a powerful earthquake.

On Friday night, a small group of people gathered near the nightclub to hold a candlelight vigil. A simple message on a handmade altar read, “A painted flower for each angel up above. May their rest be eternal... This great injustice must be explained.”

Nearby resident Arlenne Matos, 47, described the terrifying moment of the collapse. She said it sounded like a huge explosion or an earthquake, followed by people screaming for help. “People were shouting, ‘Let’s get out of here! I’m alive! Help me!’” she recalled. “It’s the greatest tragedy I could imagine in all my years.”

Cars continued to arrive near the vigil throughout the night. Some visitors stood in silence, while others placed flowers, candles, messages, or black-and-white balloons in memory of the victims.

The large number of bodies overwhelmed the country’s facilities. Health Minister Atallah said earlier that no forensic center had enough space or staff to handle so many bodies at once. Still, authorities promised to return all victims’ bodies to their families by early Saturday morning. While most families received their loved ones, some errors occurred. Julio Alberto Acosta, whose stepdaughter died in the collapse, said they were given the wrong body. “We were given a bag, and we had to open it to see if it was her, but it wasn’t... We want them to give us the right one so her mother can see her and give her a proper burial,” he said.

According to an early list of victims, there were people of different nationalities, including a Haitian, an Italian, two French citizens, and "several" Americans, as confirmed by the U.S. State Department. The list also included two retired Major League Baseball players and a provincial governor.

To help with the identification process, the government brought in twelve more forensic experts. The President extended the original three-day mourning period by another three days, showing the nation's deep grief and loss. Flags were lowered across the country, and public events were cancelled as the entire country mourned together.

President Abinader also announced the formation of a special investigation team, made up of both national and international experts, to find out what exactly caused the roof to collapse. Speaking to the public on Friday, he promised answers. “We are going to find out what happened, why it happened, and how it happened,” he said.
This tragic event has left a deep mark on the Dominican Republic. Families are in mourning, and the country is united in grief as it waits for answers.

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