18 dead, over 120 injured in a nightclub building collapse

Media report says no fewer than 18 persons were feared dead while more than 120 others sustained varying degrees of injury following the collapse of a nightclub roof in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday April 8, 2025, happened at the popular Jet Set nightclub while a live performance was ongoing.

Director of the Center of Emergency Operations, Juan Manuel Méndez, who confirmed the development, said emergency responders were still combing through the rubble in search of possible survivors.

“We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why we will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,” Méndez declared.

One of the high-profile casualties was the governor of Montecristi, Nelsy Cruz, whose death has been confirmed by authorities.

Also among the injured was veteran merengue singer, Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof caved in.

His manager, Enrique Paulino, who was visibly shaken and had blood stains on his shirt, narrated how the tragedy unfolded barely an hour into the concert.

“It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner,” he said, adding that he initially mistook the tremor for an earthquake.

He also revealed that the group’s saxophonist was among those who lost their lives in the incident.

President Luis Abinader, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), described the incident as a national tragedy and assured that all relevant rescue agencies had been deployed.

“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub.

“We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred,” the president stated.

The President was later seen at the scene of the disaster, consoling victims’ families and friends, many of whom were inconsolable.

He, however, declined to address journalists during the visit.

Rescue efforts were temporarily hampered by a crowd of concerned citizens who gathered around the collapsed building in a bid to locate missing loved ones.

One official, armed with a megaphone, pleaded with the crowd to give way to rescue vehicles and ambulances.

“You have to cooperate with authorities, please. We are removing people,” he said.

At a nearby hospital where some victims were rushed, a medical staff read out names of survivors while anxious relatives screamed the names of their loved ones.

As of press time, the cause of the collapse had yet to be ascertained.

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