More than a dozen people have died and hundreds more have been injured after the roof of a packed nightclub collapsed on top of scores of revellers.
Local media has reported that 13 people died and another 125 were injured following the ceiling collapse at the popular Jet Set Lounge in the Santo Domingo area of the Dominican Republic. But the Dominican National Police has reported only 93 ambulance transfers since the incident at around 2am local time (7am BST) today. Authorities are now carrying out search and rescue operations in the collapse area.
Survivors said to be stirring from inside the rubble of the levelled building and “communicating”. Footage taken during a performance at the club reportedly by merengue singer Rubby Perez, shows people dancing and singing as the ceiling appears to collapse in the background before falling on the dozens of people watching.
Local news site El Dia reported that 77 ambulances rushed to the scene alongside eight fire trucks in the immediate aftermath of the cave in. The publication added that 30 rescuers from the Civil Defense team also arrived to lend their aid.
Journalist Anibelca Rosario claimed in a post on X, formerly Twitter that up to 125 people were transferred to health centres in Santo Domingo. She wrote: “At least 13 people died in Jetset. More than 125 people were transferred to different health centers. My overwhelming solidarity with the families of those affected.”
The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader signalled his “deep regret” in a statement following the incident. He said: “We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have followed 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.” A series of videos have started circulating online since the collapse took place at around 2am local time (7am BST).
Juan Manuel Mendez, Dominican Republic’s Director of Emergency Management Operations, said in an update on Instagram that authorities presume that many people trapped in the disaster are still alive, and that rescuers “will not stop” until they find the last person.
He wrote: “We are still working, searching for people in the rubble. We presume that many of them are still alive, that’s why the authorities here with their teams will not stop until we find the last person in that rubble.”
Pictures from the aftermath show rubble on the ground where the club previously stood, with rescuers combing through the wreckage as the search for survivors continues more than 10 hours past the initial collapse.
Roughly 200 members of the National Police force are involved in the search and rescue operation, with eight hospitals in Santo Domingo placed on red alert. The Cuban, Royal, Modern and UCE medical centres are among those taking in people already rescued from the scene.
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