The death toll now stands at 221 following the accident at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday, April 8, in which the roof collapsed completely on top of hundreds of people crammed into the venue during a concert by merengue singer Rubby Perez.
In the midst of the tragedy and the exhaustive work to rescue people trapped in the rubble at the scene, many voices were clamoring for the positioning of the owner of the nightclub, also with the reservation of the demarcation of responsibilities
Video message on Instagram
Well, this Thursday, Antonio Espaillat, owner of the famous place in the capital of Quisqueya, finally spoke out, although he did not do so for any established media, conventional or electronic, as he only did so by posting a video on the official account of the place on the Instagram platform, just after landing in the country, after remaining abroad in recent days.
woman faints from emotion in the Dominican Republic after finding out her brother survived the Jet Set nightclub collapse pic.twitter.com/RCOqEVvgGv
? SOUND | Victor Baez (@itsavibe) April 10, 2025
“There are no words to express the pain that this event has caused. What happened has been devastating for everyone. We want you to know that we are with you and share your anguish. From the beginning, we have cooperated fully and transparently with the authorities. We remain in constant communication with the Emergency Operations Center (COE), while search and rescue efforts continue with emergency crews, volunteers and staff from more than 22 institutions,” said Espaillat.
“We are up to the task of matching their pain”
Espaillat sent a message to the bereaved: “To you, mothers, fathers, brothers, sons and loved ones of those affected: you can count on us. Everything we do now, every decision, every step, has one purpose: to live up to your pain and to be with you.”
Finally, he thanked the president of the Dominican Republic and the emergency services: “We would like to sincerely thank the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader Corona. His presence at the scene was a clear gesture of solidarity. We also appreciate the tireless work of the emergency teams, and the respect with which the media and the public are handling this delicate situation. Today, more than ever, we are a family. Thank you.“
Among those killed in the tragedy were the singer who was the protagonist of the night, Rubby Perez, and the former Dominican baseball players who played in the Major Leagues Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, among many others.
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