Roof Collapse of a Nightclub in the Dominican Republic Leaves at Least 113 Dead

Officials in the Dominican Republic say that following the collapse of the roof of an iconic nightclub in the capital of the island, at least 113 people have died and 155 have been injured. According to reports, the roof of the 'Jet Set' club collapsed early Tuesday, April 19, and rescuers are still engaged in debris removal and retrieving the bodies of victims and the injured. The incident reportedly occurred during a concert attended by several politicians, athletes, and others. Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the emergency operations center, said on Tuesday night, 'We continue to clear debris and search for people. We will tirelessly look for people.' Nearly 12 hours after the roof collapsed, rescue teams were still pulling survivors from under the rubble, silencing bystanders to listen for faint cries for help. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the Monte Cristi province in the northwest of the Dominican Republic and sister of Major League Baseball star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims. She called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 a.m. to report that the roof had collapsed and she was trapped. Dominican officials said Nelsy Cruz later died in the hospital. Satuski Terro, spokesperson for the professional baseball league, also reported that Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, a Dominican baseball player, was killed. Officials say at least 155 people were injured in the incident, one of whom is parliamentary representative Bri Vargas. Local media reported that about 500 to 1,000 people were present in the club when the disaster occurred around 12:44 a.m. Tuesday. The club has a capacity of 700 seated and about 1,000 standing. The Dominican president later announced three days of national mourning at the site of the incident. The club's management stated that they would cooperate 'fully and transparently' with authorities regarding the incident. The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, is one of the attractive tourist destinations in the Caribbean, with over 11 million tourists visiting in 2024. Tourism accounts for about 15 percent of the island's GDP, and its attractions include music and nightlife, Caribbean beaches, and the colonial architecture of the capital, Santo Domingo.