SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — A minimum of 18 folks died and greater than 120 had been injured after a roof fell at a nightclub within the capital of the Dominican Republic early Tuesday, authorities mentioned.
Crews had been looking for potential survivors within the rubble at Jet Set in Santo Domingo, mentioned Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Middle of Emergency Operations.
“We presume that lots of them are nonetheless alive, and that’s the reason the authorities right here won’t surrender till not a single individual stays below that rubble,” he mentioned.
Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi, was among the many victims. In the meantime, the injured embrace merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, officers mentioned.
His supervisor, Enrique Paulino, whose shirt was spattered with blood, instructed reporters on the scene that the live performance started shortly earlier than midnight, with the roof collapsing nearly an hour later, killing the group’s saxophonist.
“It occurred so shortly. I managed to throw myself right into a nook,” he mentioned, including that he initially thought it was an earthquake.
President Luis Abinader wrote on X that each one rescue businesses are “working tirelessly” to assist these affected.
“We deeply remorse the tragedy that occurred on the Jet Set nightclub. We have now been following the incident minute by minute because it occurred,” he wrote.
Abinader arrived on the scene and hugged these searching for family and friends, some with tears streaming down their faces. He didn’t communicate to reporters.
An official with a megaphone stood outdoors the membership imploring the big crowd that had gathered to seek for associates and kinfolk to provide ambulances house.
“It’s important to cooperate with authorities, please,” he mentioned. “We’re eradicating folks.”
At one hospital the place the injured had been taken, an official stood outdoors studying aloud the names of survivors as a crowd gathered round her and yelled out the names of their family members.
It wasn’t instantly clear what brought about the roof to break down.
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Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.