The roof of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic collapsed early Tuesday during the merengue singer Rubby Pérez's performance, leaving at least 98 people dead and 160 injured, authorities confirmed.
Reports suggest that several politicians, athletes, and other prominent personalities attended the concert.
Rescuers were still pulling survivors out from beneath the rubble nearly 12 hours after the nightclub's roof collapsed. Firefighters removed broken concrete blocks and used wooden picks to lift heavy debris while the sound of drills breaking up concrete filled the air.
What Did The Authorities Say?
According to the Associated Press, Juan Manuel Méndez, Director of the Centre of Emergency Operations, stated that crews were searching for potential survivors in the rubble of the one-storey Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo.
“We continue clearing debris and searching for people,” he said on Tuesday night. “We’re going to search tirelessly for people.”
Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims, AP reported.
Officials said at least 160 people were injured.
Relatives of merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, initially said he had been rescued, but Mendez said later Tuesday that was not true. He said rescuers were still searching for Perez.
Pérez’s manager, Enrique Paulino, told AP, "It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner. There are no words to express the pain this event has caused. What happened has been devastating for everyone."
