Hopes fade of finding survivors of Jet Set nightclub roof collapse in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — Rescue crews in the Dominican Republic dug through the remains of a legendary nightclub Thursday whose roof collapsed earlier this week, killing at least 218 people, but hopes of finding survivors were slim.

Meanwhile, dozens of people in the capital of Santo Domingo were still searching for their loved ones and growing frustrated that they weren’t getting any answers after visiting hospitals and the country’s forensic institute.

Doctors warned that some of the two dozen patients who remained hospitalized were still not in the clear, especially the eight who were in critical condition.

“If the trauma is too great, there’s not a lot of time” left to save patients in that condition, said Health Minister Dr. Víctor Atallah.

He and other doctors said injuries include fractures of the skull, femur and pelvis caused by cement slabs falling on people attending a merengue concert at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo. More than 200 were injured.

The government said Wednesday night that it was moving to a recovery phase focused on finding bodies, but Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, said crews at the scene were still looking for victims and potential survivors, though no one has been found alive since Tuesday afternoon.

“We’re not going to abandon anyone. Our work will continue,” he said.

Names of victims emerging  

The legendary club was packed with musicians, professional athletes and government officials when dust began falling from the ceiling and into people’s drinks early Tuesday. Minutes later, the roof collapsed.

Victims include merengue icon Rubby Pérez, who’d been singing to the crowd before the roof fell; former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera; and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi whose brother is seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz.

Also killed were a retired United Nations official; saxophonist Luis Solís, who was playing onstage when the roof fell; New York-based fashion designer Martín Polanco; the son and daughter-in-law of the minister of public works; the brother of the vice minister of the Ministry of Youth; and three employees of Grupo Popular, a financial services company, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife.

Randolfo Rijo Gómez, director of the country’s 911 system, said it received more than 100 calls, including several from people buried under the rubble. He noted that police arrived at the scene in 90 seconds, followed minutes later by first response units. In less than half an hour, 25 soldiers, seven fire brigades and 77 ambulances were activated, he said.

Crews used dogs and thermal cameras to search for victims and rescued 145 survivors from the rubble, authorities said.

Attention to turn soon to probing collapse’s cause  

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse, or when the Jet Set building was last inspected.

The government said late Wednesday that once the recovery phase ends, it will launch a thorough investigation.

The club issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities. A spokesperson for the family that owns the club told The Associated Press that she passed along 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 didn’t respond to a request for comment.