Hopes of finding survivors have dimmed after the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed earlier this week, killing at least 218 people and prompting Dominican authorities to shift from rescue operations to body recovery.
The collapse occurred around 1 a.m. Tuesday during a live performance by merengue star Rubby Pérez, whose body was later recovered from the scene. Emergency workers had spent two days combing through the rubble before officials confirmed Thursday morning that "all reasonable possibilities of finding more survivors" had been exhausted.
Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Dominican Republic's Emergency Operations Center, told reporters Thursday, "We've practically combed ground zero, there's only a little bit left to look at." He added, "It's been very hard for everyone," and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
The disaster, which occurred in one of the country's most renowned nightlife venues, has sent shockwaves throughout the Caribbean nation. President Luis Abinader declared three days of national mourning and visited the site Tuesday with First Lady Raquel Arbaje to offer their condolences.
Authorities reported that 189 people had been rescued alive from the rubble. The transition to the recovery phase came with a statement from the operations center: "Having exhausted any reasonable possibility of finding more survivors, the operation is now in a different phase, nonetheless sensitive and crucial: the recovery of human bodies with due respect and the dignity that every victim deserves."
Among the dead were high-profile figures including former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Cabrera, fashion designer Martín Polanco, employees of Grupo Popular, and Nelsy Cruz, governor of Montecristi province.
The 50-year-old nightclub, which had capacity for up to 500 people, was hosting one of its popular Monday night shows when the roof suddenly gave way. More than 300 firefighters and emergency responders, along with heavy machinery, worked to sift through the wreckage.
Health Minister Victor Atallah said most of the deaths were caused by blunt force trauma. "The majority of the people who died, died instantly. Many were sitting down; the ceiling hit them in the head and chest," he told El Caribe newspaper.
The cause of the structural failure remains under investigation. Aerial images taken in the aftermath showed a wide, gaping hole where the audience would have been gathered.
