What to know about the roof collapse at an iconic club in the Dominican Republic that killed 221

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The roof of an iconic nightclub in the Dominican capital collapsed during a merengue concert this week, killing at least 221 people and injuring over 200. Politicians, athletes and a fashion designer were among those enjoying live music at the Jet Set club in Santo Domingo when disaster struck early on Tuesday.

Officials have said it's too soon to determine why the roof fell, although prosecutors visited the scene on Thursday after rescue crews began packing up and removed heavy equipment. Meanwhile, dozens of people who had waited at hospitals and the forensics institute for information on their loved ones demanded the return of their bodies as they donned face masks and complained about a bad odor outside the institute.

What happened?

The roof collapsed nearly an hour after the start of the concert headed by beloved singer Rubby Pérez at Jet Set, a club known for its Monday night merengue parties that drew international celebrities and high-profile Dominicans.

A video posted on social media shows parts of the roof falling and people starting to move away seconds before the entire roof collapses onto them.

Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, alerted Dominican President Luis Abinader to the disaster, calling him from under the debris, according to first lady Raquel Abraje. Officials said Nelsy Cruz later died at a hospital.

Why did the roof collapse?

It's unclear how often government officials inspect buildings in the Dominican Republic or when Jet Set was last inspected.

A Ministry of Public Works spokesperson referred The Associated Press to the mayor's office for comment. A spokesperson for the mayor's office could not be reached.

Jet Set's owners, who issued a statement saying they were cooperating with authorities, were also not reachable for comment.

Who are the victims?

Relatives of merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, initially said he had been rescued. But Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, said his body was found early Wednesday.

The Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic posted on X that former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel was pulled from the debris but died at a hospital. Also killed was Dominican baseball player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, league spokesperson Satosky Terrero said.

Other victims include a retired U.N. official, New York-based fashion designer Martín Polanco, an Army captain who left behind four young girls, and three employees at Grupo Popular, a financial services company, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife.

Dominicans who wanted to help the injured donated more than 54 gallons (429 pints) of blood, authorities said.

What is Jet Set?

The legendary club in southern Santo Domingo has operated for nearly five decades, with ''Jet Set Mondays'' featuring local and international merengue artists.

It later relocated and celebrated its first anniversary at the new location with merengue and salsa icon Johnny Ventura. The club underwent renovations in 2010 and 2015, and it was struck by lightning in 2023, according to the newspaper.

General admission tickets for Monday's concert with Rubby Pérez were $32, while the VIP ones were $40, according to the club's website.

What's next?

The government ended the search for survivors and victims on Thursday, announcing that crews worked for 53 hours nonstop since arriving at the scene.

More than 20 people remained hospitalized as of Thursday evening, with eight of them in critical condition, doctors said.

Relatives waited at the nation's forensics institute as it worked to identify victims, while others went from hospital to hospital looking for their loved ones, some clutching photographs.

Many of those injured were in critical or serious condition with broken bones.

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