Almost 220 people have been confirmed dead after the roof of Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, collapsed while merengue singer Rubby Perez was performing live.
The calamity happened on Tuesday during a well-attended event that saw politicians, athletes, and other top figures in attendance.
A video that has been making rounds on social media showed the moment the roof collapsed on the partygoers while Rubby Perez was performing on stage. Watch below:
It was reported that dusts were reported falling from the nightclub’s ceiling and Perez was seen on the video, motioning to the troubled decking before it eventually caved in.
Perez’s daughter Zulinka, and her husband were in the venue when disaster struck, but they managed to escape. Perez guided rescuers to his location by singing but unfortunately, died before they could free him.
Among the dead was the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi, Nelsy Cruz. Cruz made it out of the rubble and was the first to inform the president of the disaster, but she later died of her injuries in the hospital.
As of this time, a total of 218 people, including former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco have been retrieved dead, as the chances of rescuing survivors continue to thin out. A total of 189 people were rescued alive.
Santo Domingo’s emergency response director Juan Manuel Mendez stressed that no stone would be left unturned in seeking to rescue survivors, as well as retrieving the dead.
The exact number of people in the nightclub is not available but it is estimated to be between 500 to 1,000.
The cause of the collapse has not been revealed and is being investigated while the owner of the club, Antonio Espaillat, was out of the country.
