A catastrophic roof collapse at one of the Dominican Republic’s most iconic nightclubs has claimed nearly 100 lives, leaving a nation in mourning and prompting urgent questions about safety and oversight in one of the Caribbean’s top tourist destinations.
Collapse at Santo Domingo’s Jet Set Nightclub
Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed during a live performance by beloved Dominican merengue singer Rubby Pérez. The collapse occurred at approximately 12:44am, while hundreds of people were packed inside for the show.
Witnesses described the scene as apocalyptic. What began as a festive night turned into chaos as dust and debris rained from the ceiling before the entire structure gave way. “The impact was so strong, as if it had been a tsunami or an earthquake,” recalled Iris Peña, who managed to escape with her son.
A Nation Grieves: Rubby Pérez Among the Dead
Rubby Pérez, widely regarded as a national treasure in Dominican music, was on stage at the moment of the collapse. His daughter Zulinka Pérez told reporters she had escaped but her father was trapped under the rubble. His death was confirmed by his manager shortly after rescue teams reached his body.
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Tributes flooded social media from artists across Latin America. Merengue legend Wilfrido Vargas mourned “the loss of a friend and idol of our genre,” while Puerto Rican superstar Olga Tañón wrote: “Maestro, what a great pain he leaves us.”
High-Profile Victims and a Grim Toll
Also confirmed dead were two former Major League Baseball players:
- Octavio Dotel, 51, who was rescued alive but succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
- Tony Blanco, whose death was reported by local media shortly after the incident.
Among the casualties was Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the Monte Cristi municipality. Dominican President Luis Abinader confirmed her death and declared three days of national mourning in response to the disaster.
By early Wednesday, the death toll had reached 98, according to Juan Manuel Méndez, Director of the Emergency Operations Center. Rescue efforts continued into the early hours, but no new survivors had been found since 3pm Tuesday.
The Scene on the Ground: Rescue and Recovery
Emergency teams numbering over 370 personnel worked throughout the night, using cranes and digging equipment to search for survivors trapped beneath fallen steel, bricks, and tin sheets. Rescue workers described a harrowing effort, with family members anxiously waiting for any news.
“I have friends here, a niece, a cousin. They’re in the rubble,” said Rodolfo Espinal, standing near the site as authorities called for blood donations from the public.
At local hospitals, relatives of the missing pleaded for information. Regina del Rosa, whose sister was at the concert, told SIN News, “We are desperate. They are not telling us anything.”
A Historic Venue with Tragic Ends
Founded more than 50 years ago, Jet Set nightclub has long been a staple of the Dominican capital’s music and nightlife scene, hosting live acts every Monday night. Its Instagram account had posted an invitation just hours before the disaster: “Come enjoy Rubby Pérez’s greatest hits and dance in the country’s best nightclub.”
The venue had a capacity of 1,700 people, and officials estimate 500 to 1,000 were present when the collapse occurred. Initial investigations have not yet confirmed the cause of the failure, but a power outage immediately preceded the structural failure, according to witnesses.
One of the Nation’s Worst Tragedies
The Jet Set nightclub collapse marks one of the worst civilian disasters in the Dominican Republic’s recent history. It follows a deadly 2023 plastics factory explosion in San Cristóbal that killed 40 people and injured dozens. Another tragedy occurred in 2005, when more than 130 inmates died in a prison fire caused by a riot.
The country, known for its vibrant culture and booming tourism industry, is now grappling with the magnitude of the loss.
Tourism, Infrastructure, and Safety Concerns
Tourism is a vital part of the Dominican economy, generating 15% of GDP and attracting millions of visitors annually. The nation is famed for its beaches, colonial architecture, and thriving nightlife — all now overshadowed by questions of safety and building standards.
Authorities have vowed a full investigation into the collapse and have called for cooperation from Jet Set’s management, which released a statement expressing condolences and a commitment to “fully and transparently” assist with the inquiry.
Mourning and Remembrance
Across the country, a somber mood has taken hold. In Santo Domingo, hundreds gathered to pay tribute at makeshift memorials and blood donation stations. Helicopter footage of the scene revealed a gaping hole where the roof once was, now surrounded by emergency vehicles and mourning families.
This tragedy has shaken not only the Dominican Republic but the wider Caribbean and Latin American cultural community, highlighting the fragile line between celebration and catastrophe.
As the Dominican flag flies at half-mast, the names of the lost continue to be pinned to makeshift boards outside the hospital and nightclub, each one a reminder of a life cut short in what was supposed to be a night of joy and music.
