A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday evening, April 8, when the roof of a nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, suddenly collapsed during a concert, killing at least 98 people and injuring more than 150.
The search for missing individuals is still ongoing, with rescue efforts involving over 400 personnel.
The collapse took place at the popular Jet Set club in the capital, where merengue singer Rubby Pérez was performing. Pérez, 69, was among the victims. Initially, reports indicated that he was alive but trapped under the rubble, and his daughter confirmed this information. However, later reports confirmed that the singer’s body had been recovered from the debris.
Witnesses described the collapse as sudden, with one person initially thinking it was an earthquake and instinctively dropping to the floor. Another witness described the event, stating that plaster fell from the ceiling followed by a stone landing on a table, with the force of the impact likened to that of a tsunami or earthquake.
The number of people inside the club at the time remains unclear, but estimates suggest between 500 and 1,000 individuals were present. Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader arrived at the scene, emphasizing the primary goal of saving lives. Among those confirmed dead is Nelcy Cruz, the governor of Monte Cristi province, who succumbed to severe injuries in the hospital.
The Dominican Republic, a major Caribbean tourist destination, saw over 11 million visitors in 2024, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
