At least 184 people died and hundreds more injured after a roof collapsed on Tuesday in a nightclub in the capital of the Dominican Republic, authorities said on Wednesday.
The authorities said the dead included singer Rubby Pérez.
The director of the Emergency Operations Center, Juan Manuel Méndez, said the teams were still working to determine the total number of people who were at the time of the incident.
The search for possible survivors in the rubble at the Jet Set Club in Santo Domingo continued. “We assume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until one person remains under those rubble,” he said.
Some 300 people participated in the search and rescue operation, authorities said.
Almost 12 hours after the top of the nightclub collapsed over customers, rescue teams were still taking survivors from under the rubble. Firefighters removed broken concrete blocks and used Saed wooden pieces as boards to lift heavy debris while the noise of the exercises that are broken through concrete filled the air.
Méndez said the rescue teams were prioritizing three areas in the club: “We are listening to some sounds.”
A specialized canine unit has been brought to help find in critical areas of difficult access, emergency officials said.
Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwest province of Montecristi and sister of the seven -time baseball star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims. He had called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 AM saying that he was caught and that the roof had collapsed, the first lady Raquel Abraje told journalists. The authorities said Cruz later in the hospital.
“This is a tragedy too big,” Abraje said in a broken voice.
In a statement, Cruz’s family paid tribute to “his legacy of service and love for others.”
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Merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who acted at the time of collapse, died in the disaster, his manager, Enrique Paulino, confirmed in a statement to CBS News.
Paulino, whose shirt was dotted with blood, told journalists on the scene that the concert advanced shortly before midnight, with the roof collapse almost an hour later.
“It was sudden. I thought it was an earthquake, so I threw myself to the ground and covered my head,” he said. “We tried to get to the area where Rubby was, but there were too many rubble there.”
It was not clear immediately what caused the roof to collapse. The Jet Set Club said in a statement: “We are collaborating completely and transparently with the competent authorities to help the victims and clarify what happened.”
Francesco Spotorno/AFP/Getty
The club said that the tragedy “has deeply hit the hearts of all of us who are part of the jet set and all Dominicans. The loss of human life leaves us in a state of deep pain and dismay. At this time of the Devifult, our Ores are typical of Afurectices, because we are also mourning.”
President Abinader wrote on social networks that all rescue agencies were “working tirelessly” to help those affected.
“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred in the Jet Set nightclub. We have bone after the minute incident per minute that happened,” hey.
Abinader arrived at the scene and hugged those who were looking for friends and family, some with tears running down their faces.
“We have faith in God that we rescue even more living people,” he told reporters.
Erika Santelices / Reuters
In a hospital where the injured were tasks, an official was outside reading aloud the names of the survivors while a crowd gathered around him and shouted the names of his loved ones.
Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the concert but did not return home, was among those who were waiting anxiously outside the club known for their traditional parties held on Monday, where the renowned national and international artists act.
“We are clinging only to God,” said Olivo.
I also expected the word Massiel Cuevas, godmother or Darlenys Batista, 22.
“I am waiting for her to be there, I know she is there,” Cuevas said, firm in his belief that Batista would be taken alive.
Contributed to this report.