Grief is rippling through Miami’s Dominican community after the roof of a popular nightclub in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, collapsed early Tuesday morning, killing more than 70 people and injuring over 150.
Among the dead are beloved public figures, including former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, and famed Dominican singer Rubby Pérez, who died in the rubble just one hour after performing onstage at Jet Set, the iconic venue at the center of the tragedy.
“We’re all in shock”
In Miami’s Little Santo Domingo neighborhood, CBS News Miami spoke with several residents mourning the loss from afar. Rafael Gutierrez, owner of a Dominican grocery store, said he lost four close friends in the collapse.
“Lamentablemente, yo perdí cuatro amistades,” Gutierrez said. “Unfortunately, I lost four of my friends. I found out at 6 o’clock this morning. They didn’t find my first friend until 3 o’clock this afternoon.”
Pablo Yunes, another community member, said the tragedy has been the only thing anyone is talking about.
“It’s very sad. We’re all still in shock,” Yunes said. “We haven’t gotten the final word yet, but we’re all talking about it.”
Cause of collapse still unknown
Dominican officials said the cause of the collapse is still under investigation. Rescue efforts continued into the evening Tuesday, as crews searched through the debris for more survivors.
“This should’ve never happened,” said Edwin Madrigal, a local resident in mourning. “Everybody is hurting, everywhere in the world. It’s a tragedy.”
Video posted to Instagram by Pérez, just minutes before he went on stage, has circulated widely online. According to reports, the collapse occurred roughly an hour into his performance.
As families on both sides of the Caribbean await answers, many in South Florida say their hearts remain with their loved ones back home.
“This is a shame,” said one mourner. “My condolences to all the families in this moment.”
