Nightclub owner arrested following deadly roof collapse which killed 236 people
The club was packed with government officials, musicians, and retired Major League Baseball players
The owner of a nightclub whose roof collapsed and killed 236 people has been arrested along with his sister.
Santo Domingo’s iconic Jet Set nightclub was packed with government officials, musicians, and retired Major League Baseball players when its roof collapsed on 8 April.
In total, 236 people were killed, with more than 180 people injured in the deadly incident.
Dominican Republic’s Attorney General’s Office said on Thursday that Antonio Espaillat and Maribel Espaillat have been arrested, but have not been charged in the case.
Authorities have 48 hours to present any charges before a judge.
The Dominican Republic’s Attorney General’s Office said in a statement: “Both defendants displayed immense irresponsibility and negligence by failing to physically intervene to prevent the club’s roof from collapsing, as it ultimately did, causing 236 deaths and more than 180 injuries.”
Prosecutors accused the Espaillats of trying to intimidate or manipulate company employees, adding that they could serve as witnesses in the case.
An attorney for the Espaillats could not be immediately reached for comment. The Espaillats were arrested after being interrogated for several hours.
A government-appointed committee that includes international experts is still investigating what caused the roof to collapse.
Crews worked for 53 hours nonstop after arriving on the scene in Santo Domingo shortly after midnight on April 8, rescuing 189 survivors.
The victims included beloved singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof caved in, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz.
Also killed was former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who was pulled from the debris but died at a hospital, and Dominican baseball player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera.
Other victims include a retired UN official, New York-based fashion designer Martín Polanco, an Army captain who left behind four young girls, and three employees at Grupo Popular, a financial services company, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife.
The club, which had operated for nearly five decades, was known for its Monday night merengue parties that attracted international celebrities and high-profile Dominicans.