After 7:00 am this Thursday, the COE reported that the number of victims had increased to 218 after the collapse of the Jet Set club.
By Escarlin Pozo
El Inmobiliario
SANTO DOMINGO – Wednesday, April 9th, dawned completely gray. From the early hours of the morning, the pain of an entire nation, the Dominican Republic, continued to be felt.
The collapse of the roof of the Jet Set nightclub, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, April 8, extinguished the lives of dozens of people, including that of merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was entertaining at the party in the establishment.
After 24 hours, the lifeless body of Roberto Antonio Pérez Herrera, popularly known as "The highest voice of merengue", was recovered from the rubble.
The entire country awoke to that news. Sadness lingered in many corners. Heartbreak continued to fill the hearts of all citizens and across the international community.
At 7:00 a.m., the Emergency Operations Center (COE) released its first bulletin of the day. The report it contained was devastating: the death toll had risen to 113.
At ground zero, people were filled with grief. A heartbreak that touched the soul, the kind of feeling that weakens the resolve of an entire community. From there, and even from afar, empathy welled up.
Many wept for the loss of their loved one. Someone they called: “mom”, “my sister”, “uncle”, “cousin”, “my friend”… Loved ones who went to celebrate without knowing that death would arrive in such a brutal way.
Amidst that scene, as the minutes ticked by, there was also solace in the midst of the pain. With their hands raised, giving thanks to God, many saw the light again upon learning that their relative had been rescued alive and was in a health center.
“My brother is alive!” a woman exclaimed as she ran toward the medical center where her brother was. She was accompanied by several other people, who also joyfully exclaimed, “He’s alive!”.
The clock kept ticking. After 11:00 a.m., the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, had arrived in the province of Monte Cristi to attend the funeral services of Governor Nelsy Cruz, who informed him at 12:49 a.m. on Tuesday what had happened at that entertainment center.
Nelsy was rescued alive, but sadly passed away while receiving medical attention. Her body was laid to rest in the municipal cemetery of Las Matas de Santa Cruz.
Search and rescue
According to the COE, more than 300 brigades, belonging to more than 22 state institutions, have worked on the search and capture of people under the rubble.
This operation, which began early Tuesday morning at Jet Set, has been carried out with specialized technical teams, heavy machinery and canine units.
Solidarity in the midst of tragedy
Today, Wednesday, solidarity and support for the Dominican Republic was evident with the arrival of rescuers from Puerto Rico, Israel, and Mexico.
According to what was expressed by the director of the COE, Juan Manuel Méndez, the group of Israelis had arrived in the country at 5:30 in the morning.
From Puerto Rico, a total of twelve firefighters landed on land from a military plane provided by the Dominican government.
“We send our prayers and solidarity to every affected family. We honor the memory of those who have passed away and reiterate our commitment to support them during this painful time,” said the country’s governor, Jenniffer González.
The search continues
Amid the ongoing efforts, which involved both national and international volunteers, the search for missing persons continued. At 1:00 p.m., the Emergency Operations Center (COE) released a new bulletin: the death toll had risen to 124, while the number of people transferred to various care facilities remained at 155.
Amid that desolate scene, the suffering intensified. Several family members, who had clung to the hope of finding their loved one alive, collapsed from grief upon learning that their relative had been found, but without vital signs.
Official Government Announcement
At 7:00 pm, an official statement from the government of the Dominican Republic was released: they announced the beginning of a new phase in the affected area.
They specified that the search and rescue phase would be concluded within the next two hours, in order to begin the body recovery phase.
“This transition does not imply the end of the work in the affected area, but rather the fulfillment of a new stage within the internationally established protocol for the management of this type of emergency,” they explained.
Once that second phase was completed, they indicated that the third phase would be activated, which corresponds to the investigation stage, to be carried out by the competent authorities, to determine the causes of the collapse.
The death toll is rising
Just before 11:00 p.m., the COE general reported that the number of victims had risen to 184 after the collapse of the Jet Set club.
After that new figure was revealed, comments on various social media platforms flooded in. Pain and sadness were the most prevalent feelings.
Among so many messages, there was one that summarized everything that had happened since yesterday morning: April 8, 2025 will be remembered as one of the most painful days in the Dominican Republic.
A mourning that extends
The national mourning continues, and the rain that began at 11:18 p.m. this Wednesday only intensifies it. From this message, and with a heavy heart, I want to express my deepest condolences
To all those families who lost a loved one, my deepest condolences. Without knowing their names, nor having had any connection with them, my soul is ached as if it were a dear friend or acquaintance.
You are not alone in this sad loss. Alongside you is an entire community that also bids farewell to their loved one.
There are no words that can offer any comfort, I know. However, I want to close this piece with a message for you.
May the memory and legacy of each of them remain forever in your hearts. May the love sown in your home be the light that guides you through this darkness.
