1 week Ago By PA Media: World News
The number of people killed by a collapsing roof at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic has reached at least 113 as officials scramble to identify the victims. More than 255 people were injured by falling concrete slabs at the Jet Set club in the capital Santo Domingo, which was packed with musicians, professional athletes and government officials when the roof collapsed during a concert early on Tuesday. The victims include merengue music star Rubby Perez, who had been singing to the crowd before the disaster struck, said emergency operations director Juan Manuel Mendez.
Rescue crews are still searching for potential survivors, more than 24 hours after the collapse. “We’re going to search tirelessly for people,” Mr Mendez said. Late on Tuesday, people still looking for family and friends gathered around a man playing a guitar outside the club as they sang hymns.
So far, only 32 people have been identified after one of the worst disasters to hit the Dominican Republic. Local media reported that they included a cardiologist, a government architect, a retired police officer and the brother of the vice minister of the Ministry of Youth. Also killed was Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Octavio Dotel and Dominican player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, according to Satosky Terrero, spokesman for the country’s Professional Baseball League.
Nelsy Cruz, governor of the north-western province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, alerted President Luis Abinader about the disaster. She called him from underneath the rubble but died later in hospital. Other victims include saxophonist Luis Solis, who was playing onstage when the roof fell, several Venezuelan bartenders and an army captain who had four young daughters.
Grupo Popular, a financial services company, said three of its employees also died, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife. Countless more remained unidentified. “I have been to many hospitals, and I have not found her,” said Deysi Suriel of her friend, 61-year-old Milca Curiel.
Dozens of frantic relatives crowded at the country’s National Institute of Forensic Pathology, scanning a list of the victim’s names, while others went from hospital to hospital looking for their loved ones, some clutching pictures of them. “There’s a lot of pain,” said senator Daniel Rivera, the country’s former public health minister. “We need to have a lot of patience.
” Among those searching for relatives was Kimberly Jones, whose godson, 45-year-old artist Osiris Blanc, and his friends are missing. “It was their favourite place, they went there almost every Monday,” Ms Jones said, adding that her niece was also missing. It was not immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse or when the building was last inspected.
The club issued a statement saying it was co-operating with authorities. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Public Works referred questions to the mayor’s office, which did not respond to a message for comment..
