At Least 124 Killed After Nightclub Roof Collapses in Dominican Republic

Thursday, 10 April 2025 07:16

Rescue workers are racing against time to find survivors trapped beneath tons of concrete and steel after a devastating roof collapse at a popular Santo Domingo nightclub.

The roof of Jet Set, a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic, collapsed early Tuesday morning and killed at least 124 people, CNN reports.

The deadly collapse occurred in the capital of Santo Domingo before 1am Tuesday during a performance by popular merengue artist Rubby Pérez, whose body was recovered Wednesday morning, according to emergency services officials.

Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Center, reported that 145 people had been rescued alive from the rubble. However, the full extent of the catastrophe remains unclear, with the number of people still buried unknown. Approximately 300 people were inside the venue when the roof gave way.

Video recorded from inside the club and shared on social media appears to capture the terrifying moment of collapse, showing lights falling from the ceiling seconds before the roof came down, followed by screams.

At 12:34 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2025 the roof of the Jet Set Nightclub, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic collapsed.

At least 113 people were killed and another 155 injured including Nelsy Cruz, governor of the Monte Cristi province and former MLB players, Octavio Dotel and Tony… https://t.co/ZuQvb6ylG3 pic.twitter.com/CnxMxU7s9T
— 𝓝𝓲𝓴𝓴𝓲 (@PFKHealth) April 9, 2025

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that at least one American citizen and several U.S. residents were among the dead. Former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco also passed, with Dotel—a World Series Champion in 2011—dying en route to the hospital after being pulled alive from the rubble, according to Méndez.

The collapse has affected the families of prominent political figures as well. Nelsy Cruz, governor of the Monte Cristi province and relative of MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, was confirmed dead by Dominican President Luis Abinader. Meanwhile, the son of Public Works Minister Eduardo Estrella remains among the missing.

Outside the destroyed nightclub on Wednesday, distraught families gathered, clinging to hope that their loved ones might still be found alive as rescue workers methodically worked through the debris. Of the 124 confirmed fatalities at Jet Set, 33 bodies have yet to be identified, per CNN.

"We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub," Abinader said in a statement released on X. "We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred. All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families."

Authorities have not yet determined what caused the structural failure at the venue.