Tragedy Hits: 18 Dead, Over 120 Injured After Roof Collapse in Santo Domingo Nightclub
Heartbreaking news coming out of the Dominican Republic. A wild and tragic scene unfolded Tuesday night, April 8, when the roof of a popular nightclub, Jet Set, collapsed during a live performance by well-known merengue singer Rubby Pérez. The aftermath? 18 people dead and over 120 hospitalized—and the whole country is shook.
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According to an official statement released on Instagram by the National Police of the Dominican Republic, the deadly collapse went down in Santo Domingo, where hundreds of people had gathered for a good time—and ended up fighting for their lives instead. The National Police wrote, “18 people had died in the incident, while 121 people have been taken to nearby hospitals.”
TMZ also dropped that former MLB star Octavio Dotel was at the event and even got trapped under the debris—but thankfully, he was rescued alive. It’s still unclear what caused the roof to collapse in the first place, but investigations are already underway.
What Authorities Are Saying About the Dominican Republic Nightclub Tragedy
Everybody from government officials to emergency response teams is scrambling to bring answers and comfort to a grieving community. During a press conference, Dominican police shared that they are actively coordinating across agencies to provide real-time updates and support.
“Authorities maintain inter-agency coordination and continue to work intensively in search, rescue and health care, ensuring transparency in the information provided to family members and citizens,” said the National Police.
That level of transparency is rare in crisis situations, and many are applauding the swift response. Still, for the families affected, it’s a nightmare they’ll never forget.
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his sorrow and affirm that support efforts are still ongoing.
“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred. All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families.”
What’s Next After the Jet Set Collapse?
At the time of writing, there’s still no official word on what caused the roof to collapse. Engineers and city officials are combing through the wreckage to figure out if it was poor construction, overcrowding, or some kind of structural flaw that led to this devastating loss.
Investigators have promised a full report, and lawsuits are likely to follow. For now, the community is just trying to pick up the pieces and mourn the lives lost way too soon.