Dominican Republic nightclub tragedy: Singer's haunting final moments revealed as death toll rises
Heartbreaking details emerge as death toll rises in Dominican Republic nightclub collapse tragedy
What began as a night of music and celebration turned into one of the Dominican Republic's deadliest disasters as the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed, killing at least 124 people and injuring more than 150 others.
The tragedy occurred just before 1 AM local time on Tuesday, when hundreds of guests had gathered to see popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez perform. What no one knew was that these would be his final moments on stage.
Verified footage from inside the club shows the exact moment disaster began unfolding. A man recording the performance can be heard saying "Something fell from the ceiling" while pointing upward. The video captures Pérez looking toward the area with concern, and less than 30 seconds later, a loud noise is heard before the recording goes black.
The most gut-wrenching details have emerged from survivors, including Pérez's own daughter Zulinka, who was performing alongside her father as a backing vocalist when the roof gave way.
"They found him singing, he started to sing so they would hear him," Zulinka told local media, describing how her 69-year-old father survived the initial collapse and used his voice to guide rescuers to his location. Despite their efforts to reach him, Pérez died before he could be freed, more than 16 hours after being trapped.
Zulinka herself survived thanks to her husband, who shielded her with his body during the collapse, telling her she needed to make it out "to be there for our son."
Among the victims were several high-profile figures, including former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco. Dotel, 51, was pulled alive from the rubble but died en route to the hospital.
Perhaps one of the most astonishing stories comes from Nelsy Cruz, the 41-year-old governor of Monte Cristi province. After being injured in the collapse, her first call wasn't to emergency services or family – it was directly to President Luis Abinader, urgently requesting rescue workers be sent to save those trapped alongside her.
Only after speaking with the president did Cruz call her brother, seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz. Despite her quick thinking and connections at the highest levels of government, she later died from injuries sustained from falling glass.
The nightclub, which was previously a cinema before being converted into a music venue, regularly hosted popular Monday night concerts that attracted people of all ages. On the night of the tragedy, the audience included numerous athletes, celebrities, and politicians.
President Abinader has declared three days of national mourning as rescue operations continue. Emergency official Juan Manuel Méndez estimated that teams have "24 to 36 hours left" to find any remaining survivors beneath the rubble.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that at least one American citizen and multiple legal permanent residents were among those killed, stating that the United States stands "ready to support our Dominican allies amid this difficult time."
As families hold vigils near the site and the nation begins to process this devastating loss, investigators are still working to determine what caused the catastrophic structural failure that turned a night of celebration into unimaginable tragedy.
