In a tragic incident at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, 235 lives were lost when the roof collapsed during a busy evening event, shocking the nation and the world. The club’s reservations manager, Gregorio Adames, had warned the owner, Antonio Espaillat, about the deteriorating roof situation as early as 2:23 p.m. on the day of the disaster. He communicated his concerns that falling debris posed an immediate threat.
As the evening progressed, Adames became increasingly alarmed when chunks of the roof fell, injuring a patron hours before the fatal incident. Unfortunately, the owner was unavailable, and his sister, Maribel Espaillat, who managed the club in his absence, felt unable to cancel the show without his approval. Just hours later, at 12:44 a.m. on April 8, the roof gave way entirely, resulting in the tragic deaths and injuries of nearly 200 others, with victims coming from diverse nationalities.
Prosecutors have since charged the Espaillat siblings with involuntary homicide, and both have been detained as they await their hearings—one of which may place Antonio Espaillat in jail without bail while his sister might be placed under house arrest. This incident has not only marked a dark chapter in the community but also raised critical conversations about building safety and accountability in commercial venues across the Dominican Republic.
As the evening progressed, Adames became increasingly alarmed when chunks of the roof fell, injuring a patron hours before the fatal incident. Unfortunately, the owner was unavailable, and his sister, Maribel Espaillat, who managed the club in his absence, felt unable to cancel the show without his approval. Just hours later, at 12:44 a.m. on April 8, the roof gave way entirely, resulting in the tragic deaths and injuries of nearly 200 others, with victims coming from diverse nationalities.
Prosecutors have since charged the Espaillat siblings with involuntary homicide, and both have been detained as they await their hearings—one of which may place Antonio Espaillat in jail without bail while his sister might be placed under house arrest. This incident has not only marked a dark chapter in the community but also raised critical conversations about building safety and accountability in commercial venues across the Dominican Republic.
