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Hundreds of rescue workers in the Dominican Republic have spent the night searching for survivors after the roof of a nightclub collapsed in Santo Domingo, the capital city.
The death toll has now reached 113 with over 150 injured, some seriously. The accident happened just before 1:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday at the Jet Set club.
The club was packed with people attending a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez. Among those confirmed dead are Pérez himself, former baseball star Octavio Dotel, and a local governor.
Video taken inside the club shows Pérez singing when someone filming says, “Something fell from the ceiling,” pointing at the roof. Moments later, there’s a loud sound and the screen goes black. A woman’s voice then cries out, “Dad, what’s happened to you?”
It’s not known exactly how many people were inside, but reports say it could have been between 500 and 1,000. Rescue teams broke through a wall to help reach those trapped.
Family members have gathered at the scene, hoping for news. One of them was Pérez’s daughter, Zulinka, who sings with him on stage. She was saved by her husband, who covered her with his body and told her to survive for their child.
She managed to crawl out, and her husband also survived. Her father, though, remained trapped. She said he was alive for hours and sang to help rescuers find him. Sadly, he died before they could reach him.
Another victim, Governor Nelsy Cruz, also survived the initial collapse. She was able to call President Luis Abinader from the rubble to ask for emergency help. She later died in hospital from her injuries.
Octavio Dotel, a 51-year-old former MLB pitcher, was pulled out alive but died on the way to the hospital.
It is still unknown why the roof collapsed. The Jet Set club used to be a cinema and now hosts regular music events. That night, many celebrities, athletes, and politicians were in the crowd.
President Abinader has announced three days of national mourning.
Sources: BBC, Listin Diario.
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