The number of people killed after the roof of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic collapsed has risen to at least 98 – and others are still feared trapped.
Emergency centre director Juan Manuel Méndez said crews would “search tirelessly for people” who might be stuck under the rubble at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo.
Officials said at least 160 people were injured following the collapse at around 1am local time on Tuesday. At least 300 people were inside the venue at the time.
Nearly 12 hours after the collapse, rescue crews were still pulling out survivors from under the debris, shushing those around them so they could listen for faint cries for help.
Firefighters removed blocks of broken concrete and used sawed pieces of wood as planks to lift heavy debris as the noise of drills breaking through concrete filled the air.
Late Tuesday night, those still looking for their family and friends gathered around a man playing a guitar outside the club as they sang hymns.
Relatives of merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, initially said that he had been rescued, but Méndez said later Tuesday that wasn’t true. He said rescue crews were still looking for Pérez.
Pérez’s manager, Enrique Paulino, whose shirt was spattered with blood, told reporters at the scene that the concert began shortly before midnight, with the roof collapsing almost an hour later, killing the group’s saxophonist.
“It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner,” he said, adding that he initially thought it was an earthquake.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse or when the Jet Set building was last inspected.
The club issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities and noted that the owner, Antonio Espaillat, was out of the country and returned late Tuesday.
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