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Between 500 and 1,000 people were attending concert by merengue singer Rubby Perez, who was among those killed

Almost 100 people have been killed after the roof of a night club collapsed in the Dominican Republic capital Santo Domingo during a concert by popular singer Rubby Perez, who died in the disaster.

Rescuers were racing to find survivors early on Wednesday, more than 24 hours after the structure caved in, though the operation was increasingly focused on recovering bodies. About 370 rescue personnel have been combing mounds of fallen bricks, steel bars and tin sheets.


The death toll started at 15 but kept rising throughout Tuesday. By early Wednesday, the preliminary toll had reached 98, said Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the country's emergency operations centre.

“As long as there is hope for life, all authorities will be working to recover or rescue these people,” he said.

Perez, 69, a renowned Dominican merengue singer, was on stage at the Jet Set night club when the roof fell shortly after midnight on Tuesday, his manager Enrique Paulino told AFP.

Also among the dead was 51-year-old retired Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel, who won a World Series in 2011 with the St Louis Cardinals. He was found alive but died of his injuries while being taken to hospital, local media reported. “Peace to his soul,” the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League wrote on social media.

Dominican media said there were between 500 and 1,000 people in the club when disaster struck. The venue has capacity for 700 people seated and about 1,000 people standing.

Dozens of ambulances ferried the injured to hospital, as scores of people gathered outside the club, desperately seeking news of their loved ones

Perez's daughter Zulinka told reporters she had managed to escape after the roof collapsed, but her father did not.

Also among the dead was the governor of the Monte Cristi municipality, Nelsy Cruz, according to President Luis Abinader, who visited the scene and declared three days of national mourning.

Iris Pena, who had attended the show, told local television how she escaped with her son.

“At one point, dirt started falling like dust into the drink on the table,” she said. “A stone fell and cracked the table where we were, and we got out. The impact was so strong, as if it had been a tsunami or an earthquake.”


Dozens of family members flocked to hospitals for news. “We are desperate,” Regina del Rosa, whose sister was at the concert, told Dominican media. “They are not giving us news, they are not telling us anything.”

Helicopter images revealed a large hole where the club's roof once was. A crane was helping lift some of the heavier rubble as men in hard hats dug through the debris. Authorities have issued a call for Dominicans to donate blood.

The Instagram page of the Jet Set club said it had been in operation for more than 50 years, with shows every Monday. On Tuesday, the club issued a statement saying it was working “fully and transparently” with authorities.

The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, is a major tourist destination in the region, receiving more than 11 million visitors in 2024, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

Tourism generates about 15 per cent of the country's gross domestic product, with visitors attracted by the music and nightlife, Caribbean beaches, and colonial architecture of Santo Domingo.

https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/2025/04/09/nearly-100-dead-in-dominican-republic-night-club-roof-collapse/

Such a terrible tragedy, innocent souls gone like that

This is not the time to be gathered in such places....may God help us! The end is near.

What kind of roofing is that??

Something is highly fishy.

R I.P now what will they tell God

EmperorIsaac:
This is not the time to be gathered in such places....may God help us! The end is near.

Keep shut! Tragedy occurs in churches and mosques. We can only pray/hope not to be caught up in any tragedy. Don't bring that religious shit here.

Nackzy:
R I.P now what will they tell God

Your type will attend all church services there is, but harbor wickedness and envy in your heart.

This is very sad.

Structural defects is such a rolling stone

Nackzy:
R I.P now what will they tell God

Rule number one; Don't think it can't happen to you

Number two; don't think you're a better human being than others

When soddom n Gomorah has taken over esp in a night club, Collapse of club roof is imminent...

Same way Ecofitness gym building caught fire and got burnt to ashes because the Immorality and adultery being perpetuated there was much..........So many people's wives were getting laid in there in the name of keeping fit in a gym
..

God is not sleeping.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY GET READY!!!

What a way to die.

How you want explain to baba God say you die where you dey rock yansh

Rip to the lost souls
Till we all meet to depart no more

Iweakbro:
Keep ain't! Tragedy occurs in churches and mosques. We can only pray/hope not to be caught up in any tragedy. Don't bring that religious shit here.

They're dullards

God console their families

YNDA!

You'll never die alone!


Concert continues afterlife.

Their souls won't experience graveyard solitudes.


Big celebration and fanfares when they arrive the heavens gate with the lead singer and his bands plus enough population.

The angel on duty will be completely overwhelmed with rigorous processing of admission files for the new intakes.

Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Accept Jesus Christ today and be saved. Love thy neighbor as thyself and deal your bread to the hungry.

Damn, that's massive baby

Iweakbro:
Keep shut! Tragedy occurs in churches and mosques. We can only pray/hope not to be caught up in any tragedy. Don't bring that religious shit here.



Your type will attend all church services there is, but harbor wickedness and envy in your heart.

Just look at how you are addressing a fellow human being. You need help!

JAPAHTML:
Rule number one; Don't think it can't happen to you

Number two; don't think you're a better human being than others

YOU WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND, QUANTIFY OR ESTIMATE THE IDIOCY IN THE PEOPLE YOU ARE TRYING TO ENLIGHTEN. IN MANY SITUATIONS I HAVE GIVEN UP. MANY ARE IRREDEEMABLE.

YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM THE NUGGETS TO BE ABLE TO THINK CRITICALLY AND EMPATHICALLY IN EVERY SITUATION. BUT NO. THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT. TO THEM, ''HALLELUJAH THAT I DONT GO TO CLUBS. IT SERVES THE CLUB GOESR RIGHT''. BUT THESE SAME PEOPLE FORNICATE, LIE , STEAL AND CHEAT. THEY DO MORALLY SHAMEFUL THINGS WHERE DEATH CAN ALSO COME MEET THEM ANYTIME, ANYWHERE AND ANYDAY.


1. DO NOT THINK IT CANNOT HAPPEN TO YOU - IT WILL SHOCK YOU TO YOUR MARROWS


2. DO NOT THINK THAT YOU ARE A BETTER HUMAN BEING THAN OTHERS - IT WILL SURPRISE YOU THAT YOU ARENT


HIPOCRITES!!!

Hope then dj wasn't saying "Da roof is on fire".

This is a terrible tragedy

This is sad

Roof Of Death. (ROD)

Chai! Baddest place to be caught unfresh

This is so tragic. Like Buhari, I hereby express shock.

Our over religious folks will celebrate this and preach of how people of iniquity die...

But look at Congo DR. The country has a population of 97% Christians, but has been fighting a terrible war for years and as if all that suffering is not enough, there was a flood last weekend that summerged the country capital. No one talks about that, but we were quick to talk about the flood in Brazil because the people walked naked and celebrated Lucifer.

If Brazilians suffered for their sins, what are the people in Congo DR suffering for ?

Untill we face life for what it is, and stop carrying religion on our head.. shit happens, to both good and bad people

Naso one customer of mine dey tell me the other day say, house wey him just rent, naso pop fall… Say nah God save him & his family as they’re not inside the sitting room at that moment..

The pop spoilt his appliances..

For my life, I never hear say P.O.P dey fall. The thing shock me finish..

Nackzy:
R I.P now what will they tell God

That they were at the night club nahh..

51 years old man died in da night club.

JAPAHTML:
Rule number one; Don't think it can't happen to you

Number two; don't think you're a better human being than others

Simple. There's no god anywhere. Life na chance

This is so, so sad

RIP to them