Daily Times

At least 27 people are dead, including a governor and a saxophonist, after the roof of a Santo Domingo nightclub collapsed early Tuesday, according to Dominican Republic police.

It’s not yet clear what caused the roof of the Jet Set nightclub, a renowned club in the National District, to collapse. But owners of the business said in a statement that they are “fully and transparently cooperating with the relevant authorities to assist the victims and clarify what happened.” The disaster unfolded during a performance by merengue singer Rubby Perez, local media reported.

There were 138 ambulance transfers to different hospitals, and search and rescue efforts are underway, Juan Manuel Méndez, the nation’s director of emergency management operations, said in a press conference late Tuesday morning.

Méndez said the number of those hospitalized is higher as multiple people may be transferred by an ambulance at a time. He estimates there are more than 150 patients who have been taken to different hospitals.

“We are still working, searching for people in the rubble. We presume that many of them are still alive, that’s why the authorities here with their teams will not stop until we find the last person in that rubble,” Mendez said in a video shared on the Dominican Republic National Police Instagram page.

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader confirmed Tuesday morning that Nelsy Cruz, governor of the Montecristi province, is among those killed in the roof collapse.

Cruz’s brother, famous baseball player Nelson Cruz, shared a statement on behalf of the family on his Instagram story announcing that his sister’s remains “will be on display at the Provincial Government of Montecristi” Tuesday afternoon and a funeral will be held in the evening .

Dominican Minister of Culture Roberto Ángel Salcedo also expressed his condolences in an X post.

“I deeply regret the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Nelsy Cruz, governor of Montecristi province, which occurred in the tragic event at the Jet Set nightclub,” Salcedo said. “Her death is an irreparable loss for her community and for the entire country. Nelsy was a committed public servant, a woman of steadfast leadership, and an unwavering ally in initiatives aimed at strengthening our identity and development.”