As the death toll from an unthinkable disaster in the Dominican Republic rises to 184, disturbing video has emerged showing the moment of the collapse.
The Tuesday morning collapse of Jet Set nightclub’s roof trapped hundreds of people and, even more tragically, the packed scene was captured on video at the exact moment of the disaster.
Jose Luis Frometa Herasme, the head of Santo Domingo’s fire service, announced Wednesday that rescue efforts were at an end and that all further efforts will go to recovery of bodies, according to AFP. A government statement claimed “all reasonable possibilities of finding more survivors” were completely exhausted.
Videos of the collapse have now emerged, showing the size of the crowd and the scale of the disaster as it happened. In one video, the person behind the camera was caught in the crush under the roof. Whether this person survived is unclear.
Warning: The following posts contain graphic images that some readers may find disturbing.
Nightclub Roof Collapse in Dominican Republic Leaves 15 Dead, Singer Rubby Pérez Injured Authorities have launched extensive search and rescue efforts, with more than 100 individuals transported to hospitals across the city as emergency teams continue working to locate survivors… pic.twitter.com/pXx4PFSC6t
— Dj Omega Mvp (@DjOmegaMVP) April 8, 2025
Sickening moment roof collapses at Dominican Republic nightclub pic.twitter.com/14ra4Zh39y
— New York Post (@nypost) April 9, 2025
Despite the devastating news, there were shining examples of humanity among the victims and rescuers alike in the first 48 hours following the collapse.
According to NBC News, one of the victims, a politician, used his connections to immediately phone in the news to the highest levels.
While trapped in the rubble, Montecristi province Gov. Nelsy Cruz called Dominican President Luis Abinader to inform him of the disaster.
This immediate and personal update undoubtedly helped ensure the rescue effort moved into full swing at the all levels. Over 100 other victims called local emergency services while trapped, making the scale of the required rescue effort clear.
Volunteers, relatives, and rescue workers made the biggest impact.
Within the first 24 hours, 145 people were pulled from the rubble by rescue teams.
Following the disaster, ambulances were stacked with as many as three victims before transporting them to a local hospital. Over 155 ambulance transfers took place, moving an unknown total of injured.
The overall number of dead and injured is still being updated.
Among the dead are two former MLB players, at least one United States citizen, and merengue singer Rubby Perez. Perez was performing at the time of the collapse.
Cruz, the governor who alerted the Dominican president, was also lost under the rubble.
Authorities are still working to uncover the causes and conditions behind the collapse as more details — including reports that dust from the ceiling was found in clubgoers’ drinks minutes before the collapse — emerge.
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