Survivors recall 2025 Dominican Republic nightclub tragedy that killed 236 people

Survivors and relatives of victims of the Jet Set nightclub roof collapse in Santo Domingo shared their harrowing accounts as the first anniversary of the tragedy approaches, while calling for justice in a case that has gripped the Dominican Republic.

The roof of the popular nightclub collapsed on April 8, 2025, during a concert by Dominican merengue singer Rubby Perez, killing at least 236 people and injuring 180, according to the Dominican prosecutor's office. The event had drawn politicians, athletes and other prominent figures.

Survivor Remberto Jose Duran, who was trapped under the debris for seven hours, lost his 39-year-old wife, Indira Disla, and a friend in the disaster. He recalled the moment the roof gave way as he was about to get up to dance with his wife. "When all the rubble came down, she let go, and I only heard her say, 'Remberto!' And after that, she didn't speak to me anymore," he said.

Duran also described the chaos that surrounded him as he lay buried under the wreckage, recounting the suffering of those trapped nearby, including a pregnant woman who died beside him. He criticized prosecutors for classifying the case as an involuntary crime, arguing that venue management had been warned about structural problems beforehand.

Fellow survivor Yudith Gomez recalled the eerie silence that fell immediately after the collapse, followed by chaos.

"Suddenly, it was like a silence that lasted a few seconds. Then it all broke loose — the crying, the cellphones ringing, people crying, others asking for help," she said.

Among the victims were former Major League Baseball player Tony Blanco and his wife, Nelffisis Sanchez. Their son is now being raised by Sanchez's mother, Juanita Brea, who said her grandson gives her the strength to carry on. "I never would have imagined that, at 48 years old, I would become a mother again," she said.

At a cemetery in San Cristobal, Rafael Navarro wept at the grave of his daughter Evelin, expressing little faith in the judicial process. "That man is protected by the president, by all the economic power he has," he said, referring to nightclub owner Antonio Espaillat.

Legal proceedings are underway against Espaillat and his sister Maribel, the club's administrator, who face charges of involuntary homicide. Prosecutors allege the defendants overloaded the venue's roof with large air-conditioning units and water tanks without technical studies, and ignored internal warnings about the structure's deterioration. The Espaillats have defended their innocence, according to Dominican media.

A preliminary hearing was held on Monday but the judge postponed further proceedings until April 20.

Outside the shuttered nightclub, members of a group calling itself the "Jet Set Justice Movement" have hung banners bearing photographs of the victims, vowing not to forget those who died.

Production: Jesus Frias, Pamela Rojas, Anna Portella, Liamar Ramos/Reuters