Death toll in Dominican Republic nightclub tragedy tops 200 as burials begin

SANTO DOMINGO - A roof collapse at a concert in a popular nightclub in the capital of the Dominican Republic has killed at least 221 people, authorities said on April 10, with recovery efforts set to wrap up as families mourn the dead.

Politicians, athletes and other prominent local figures had gathered at the Jet Set club in Santo Domingo earlier this week for a concert by merengue singer Rubby Perez.

The event turned tragic when the roof suddenly collapsed after midnight on April 8.

Emergency crews were on site sorting through the rubble with heavy machinery early on April 10, on what Mr Juan Manuel Mendez, head of the country’s emergency operations centre (COE), said would be the last day of rescue and recovery efforts.

“This is the hardest task I’ve had in my 20 years of leading the COE,” Mr Mendez said, breaking down in tears.

Emergency teams pulled nearly 200 survivors from the building on April 8. Rescue workers were not expecting to find more on April 10.

“Rescuers have practically finished sweeping ground zero. There’s just a small area left to look over,” Mr Mendez said.

Still, families of those missing waited outside the wreckage of the club, embracing each other.

Perez, the singer, was among those killed in the crush.

President Luis Abinader attended his funeral on April 10, with a public memorial service for him set to follow later in the day.

Pitcher Octavio Dotel and slugger Tony Blanco, both former Major League Baseball players, were also killed.

The government said late on April 9 that, once recovery efforts wrapped up, they would launch an investigation into the cause of the roof collapse. AFP