SANTO DOMINGO.- Aside from routine fire department inspections, the Jet Set nightclub was never subjected to any oversight process by state agencies, nor to any repairs, revealed Antonio Espaillat, manager and owner of the nightclub, where the roof collapsed on April 8 causing 232 deaths.
“No repairs of any kind were made to Jet Set,” the businessman responded in an interview with journalist Edith Febles, broadcast by the program “El Día” on Telesistema.
He explained that in the 30 years the entertainment center had been operating there were always problems with the ceilings, which were always changed, in fact on the same day as the tragedy, but that supervision was never linked to the structural issue of the roof.
“We always had the roof waterproofed, but yes, there were leaks,” he explained.
In its 30 years, the Jet Set underwent two renovations: one in 2000 and another in 2015, primarily involving upholstery, carpets, chairs, tables, and additional elements outside the main structure. Espaillat stated that they always hired expert engineers for renovations, but these were only minor updates, such as furniture and decor, never structural changes to the building itself.
He stated that he visited the site after the tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 230 people and injured nearly 200, and that he left devastated. “When I went there, my pain intensified. I saw a whole life unfold; I had no words to express everything I saw. We were born into that business, which my mother started. I never missed a day. In December, we had about 20 parties, and I was there every single one.”.
He indicated that in the 30 years that the place operated in the Portal sector, there was always an inspection by the fire department to check fire extinguishers, emergency exits, routine things, public health, "but never a structural review.".
Antonio Espaillat. (Photo/Hoy Newspaper).
Espaillat expressed that he feels powerless in the face of the situation that occurred, but that if there had been anything he could have done, he would have done it because his family was always there and he always felt the responsibility to be there for 30 years without interruption.
“Since we founded it in that location 30 years ago, we had a plasterboard ceiling, and the plasterboard and ceiling tiles were always falling down. That's why there's white powder,” the businessman stated.
He explained that the collapse was mainly caused by water leaks from the air conditioners. “We didn’t notice because the plaster ceilings don’t sag; they just absorb the water and collapse,” he added.
Fire
He explained that the fire that occurred in 2023 was caused by a lightning strike that ignited a fire in the plant area, and that only that area and the cables were affected, and that in fact, the place was open again within a week.
In his opinion, the events happened for a reason "so that we all review and pay attention to many things that none of us were aware of. This, in addition to the pain, represents an awakening for many aspects, that we are more aware of many things that none of us were aware of. It will serve positively for many things," he stated.
He denied ever having received a recommendation from an engineer for renovations, clarifying that he only learned of this during the process and that it was just another rumor. "That's not true. No one has ever approached me, and besides, you can't even fix a corner of a roof with 4 million pesos.".
Regarding insurance, he explained that it covered “everything our insurers recommended, such as fire, personal safety, and earthquakes. “Obviously, we didn’t think about the roof collapsing.”.
Source: El Día Program, Telesistema.
Photo: Hoy Newspaper.
