Jet Set nightclub roof collapse

On 8 April 2025, the roof collapsed at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo during a live music performance. Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic. The disaster resulted in at least 221 deaths and 255 injuries.150 people needed to go to the hospital. As many as 189 people were rescued alive from the rubble. former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, and merengue musician Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed.

## Background 
The Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo was hosting a concert by merengue musician Rubby Pérez. At that time, there were between 500 and 1,000 people in the club. A video clip reportedly taken of the concert in the venue showed someone someone who was visiting the concert pointing to the roof. They said that "something fell from the ceiling". Pérez was also looking at that section of the roof. Less than 30 seconds later, a loud noise was heard. The video went black, with a woman shouting in Spanish, "Dad, what's happened to you?"

## Emergency response 
A large search and rescue mission was started. 400 responders were sent to the disaster site.

From 3 p.m. on the day of the collapse onwards, no more survivors were recovered from the disaster site. 22 state agencies conducted rescue operations at the site. This included three cranes and many search dogs. During rescue operations, crowds gathered outside. They prayed for the victims and sung Christian songs to help each other cope with the tragedy. A crowd gathered in front of the National Institute of Forensic Pathology. It showed images of the victims to help loved ones identify them.

Abinader visited the disaster site on the morning of 8 April. He checked the situation and confirmed the government's dedication to the rescue efforts. He said that "all government resources" were being used in the ongoing operation.

Mayor of Santo Domingo Carolina Mejía started up the municipal disaster response committee. She showed sympathy to families awaiting news about their loved ones. The municipal government coordinated closely with national emergency services to manage the crisis. The management of the Jet Set nightclub promised their full cooperation with authorities in the investigation and in giving help to victims and their families. Police said that those killed included former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel, baseball player Tony Blanco (who died saving Esteban Germán National football team player Luis Guillén, fashion designer Martín Polanco and National District Mayor's Office's Director of Urban Infrastructure Christian Alejandro Tejeda Pichardo were confirmed dead. Rubby Pérez's manager said Pérez's saxophonist was also killed.

Grupo Popular confirmed in the early morning of 9 April the death of several members of the Grullón family: chairman of AFP Popular Eduardo Grullón and his wife, as well as his sister and her husband.

Abinader also confirmed that Nelsy Cruz, governor of Monte Cristi province and sister of former Major League Baseball player Nelson Cruz, was among those killed.

It was said that at least 25 Venezuelan people were inside Jet Set when the roof collapsed. This included Telemicro news anchor , who was injured. Ten Venezuelans were killed, five injured and others went missing. A woman from Colombia was also killed. Two other Colombian people were injured.

An Italian man, who worked as a chef in the city, and a woman with Dominican–Italian citizenship were also among the deaths. Other people from other countries were among the dead. There were two from France and one each from Haiti and Kenya.

The number of injured victims reached more than 200 people,

## Aftermath 
Abinader declared three days of mourning in the country from 8 to 10 April. All country flags at public structures and military bounds were lowered to half-mast. On 10 April, Abinader extended the mourning period to six days. His office also said that a commission of national and international experts would be set up to investigate the disaster.

The Senate of the Dominican Republic suspended an arranged session for 9 April and all committee activities and shared a statement showing regret for the disaster.

Soon after the disaster, reports from *Diario Libre* said that Santo Domingo had less traffic. *Diario Libre* called this "unusual". It went on to say that fewer people were walking and there was an "unusual silence".

A memorial service was held for Rubby Pérez at the Eduardo Brito National Theater. President Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje went there. Dotel played for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Oakland Athletics, and each team shared statements on social media mourning his death. Dotel also played for the Mets, the Kansas City Royals, the Atlanta Braves, the Chicago White Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Before the start of a game against the Miami Marlins, the Mets held a tribute and moment of silence for Dotel. Minister of Culture Roberto Salcedo Jr. publicly mourned the death of Governor Cruz. He described her death as "an irreparable loss for her community and for the entire country". He also said that she was "a committed public servant" and "a woman of steadfast leadership".

Several members of the United States Congress—including María Elvira Salazar, Nydia Velázquez, and Adriano Espaillat—as well as New York State senator Luis Sepúlveda, offered condolences. Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, shared his "most heartfelt message of condolence" to the "sister Dominican Republic and its people". Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, the minister of foreign affairs of Cuba, shared his condolences to the Dominican people and government for the loss of human life. This was on behalf of the Cuban government. Russian president Vladimir Putin sent his "sincere condolences" and said that Russia "shares the sorrow of the Dominican people over this tragic incident".

The Espaillat family, one of the richest families in the Dominican Republic and the owners of the nightclub, shared a statement showing their regret.

## References