Estimated 160 Victims...
"Difficult to Accurately Estimate Death Toll"
Building Over 50 Years Old, History of Fire Confirmed
A tragedy occurred in the Dominican Republic where the roof of a nightclub collapsed, resulting in at least 66 deaths.
According to CNN and local media on the 9th, in the early morning, the roof of the JetSet club in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, suddenly collapsed. There were at least 300 people inside the nightclub, and 155 were reported to have been transported to hospitals.
Authorities reported that around 1 a.m. local time, merengue (traditional Dominican music) performer Ruby Perez and her orchestra were performing on stage. Among the victims was also Nelsy Cruz, governor of Monte Cristi province in the northwest of the Dominican Republic, who was confirmed to be the older sister of Nelson Cruz, a seven-time MLB All-Star.
Even 12 hours after the roof collapse, rescue teams are clearing concrete debris and conducting survivor rescue operations. The building was originally used as a movie theater, is over 50 years old, and is known to have had a fire several years ago.
Search operations for those buried under debris are ongoing at the site, but the exact number of victims has not been confirmed. Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, told local reporters, "I was informed that Governor Cruz, who was at the scene during the collapse, was taken to the hospital but passed away," and added, "Authorities are making relentless efforts to manage the situation, including rescue operations for those trapped."
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