The legendary Jet Set Club in Santo Domingo was filled with musicians, professional athletes and civil servants when the dust started to fall from the ceiling and in people’s drinks.
A few minutes later, the entire roof collapsed. Concrete slabs killed at least 113 people and trapped dozens of others on a dance floor where hundreds danced a merengue concert animated on Tuesday. More than 255 people were injured, authorities said.
The victims include the Merengue icon, Rubby Pérez, who had sang at the crowd before the disaster strikes. His body was found early Wednesday, said emergency operations director Juan Manuel Méndez.
The rescue teams still sought potential survivors more than 24 hours after collapse.
“As long as they point out that there is a missing person, we will be here,” said Mendez.
On Wednesday, Porto Rico and Israel’s rescue teams arrived in the Dominican Republic to help local authorities are looking for.
Late Tuesday evening, those who are still looking for their family and their friends gathered around a man playing a guitar outside the club as they sang hymns.
Only 32 people identified so far
Until now, only 32 people have been identified in one of the worst disasters to strike the Dominican Republic. Local media reported that those who died include a cardiologist, a government architect, a retired police officer and the brother of the Minister of the Ministry of Youth.
The MLB launcher, the MLB launcher, Octavio Dotel, and the Dominican player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, Satosky Terrero, spokesperson for the country’s professional baseball league, told the Associated Press.
Nelsy Cruz, governor of the north-west province of Montecristi and sister of the seven discount of the Major Baseball League stars, Nelson Cruz, alerted President Luis Abinader about the disaster. She called him under the rubble but died later in a hospital.
Dozens of people died after a roof collapsed in a nightclub in the Dominican Republic during a concert early Tuesday, according to officials. The rescuers continue to seek victims in the rubble, the crews always withdrawn the survivors almost 12 hours after the collapse.
The other victims include the saxophonist Luis Solís, who played on stage when the roof fell, several venezuelans barmans and an army captain who left four young girls. Grupo Popular, a financial service company, said that three of its employees are also deceased, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife.
But countless others have remained unidentified.
“I went to many hospitals and I haven’t found it,” said Deysi Suriel of his friend, Milca Curiel, 61. Suriel lives in North Carolina and was on vacation in the Dominican Republic.
‘There is a lot of pain’
Dozens of frantic parents have closed to the National Institute of Pathology of the country, scanning a list of the victim’s names while others went from hospital to hospital in search of their loved ones, certain photos of enveloping them.
“There is a lot of pain,” said Senator Daniel Rivera, the former Minister of Public Health in the country. “We have to have a lot of patience.”
Among those looking for their relatives were Kimberly Jones, whose godson, the 45 -year -old artist Osiris Blanc, and his friends were missing.
“It was their favorite place, they went there almost every Monday,” said Jones, adding that his niece also lacked.
It was not immediately clear which caused the roof collapse or when the Jet Set building was inspected for the last time.
The club has published a statement saying that it was cooperating with the authorities. A family spokesperson who owns the club told the Associated Press that she had sent questions about potential inspections.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works referred questions to the mayor’s office. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office did not respond to a message to comment.
