Officials scramble to identify victims of the collapsed roof of the Dominican club, killing at least 184
They were wearing masks more and more and began to complain about the odor as they begged officials to provide them with information about their loved ones.
Earlier in the day, officials from the National Institute of Forensic Pathology read the names of 54 victims they have found so far.
“We can’t wait for the night!” said a relative who was waiting for news that she did not hear her name. “We’re going crazy!”
Officials called for calm, saying they had sent at least 28 bodies to their families, but all of them had not been recovered. Later Wednesday, officials raised the death toll to at least 184 and the number of injured increased.
“The authorities are selling us fake dreams!” José Sánchez shouted, his brother and brother-in-law still missing.
As dust starts to fall into people’s drinks from the ceiling, the legendary jet club in Santo Domingo is packed with musicians, professional athletes and government officials.
A few minutes later, the entire roof collapsed. The concrete slabs killed some immediately and captured dozens of slabs on a dance floor, hundreds of people dancing all the time to attend a lively Melenger concert. In the following minutes, the country’s 911 system received more than 100 calls, many of whom were from people under the rubble.
The victims included Merengue Icon Rubby Pérez, who sang to the crowd before the disaster. Emergency operations director Juan Manuel Méndez said his body was found earlier Wednesday.
San Domingo Mayor Carolina Mejía praised what she said about acts of love, including a Dominican who was distributing coffee to people on site, and a man on vacation from Costa Rica, who joined the search because he was part of the rescuers’ return home.
So far, only a few dozen people have been found in one of the worst disasters that have hit the Dominican Republic. Those who died include cardiologists, government architects, retired police officers, retired UN officials, sons of the Minister of Public Works and brothers of the Deputy Minister of Youth.
The country’s professional baseball league spokesman Satosky Terrero, former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel and Dominican player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, were also killed.
Nelsy Cruz, the sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, informed President Luis Abinader about the disaster. She called him under the rubble, but later died in the hospital.
Other victims include saxophonist Luis Solís, who plays on the stage when the roof drops. New York fashion designer Martín Polanco; several bartenders in Venezuela; and an army captain who left four young girls. Three of the employees also died, including AFP’s popular bank and the president of his wife, financial services firm Grupo Pocult said. A man told reporters in tears that he had lost five relatives, including his wife and son.
Dozens of victims remain unidentified.
“I’ve been to many hospitals and I haven’t found her yet,” Deysi Suriel said of her friend, 61-year-old North Carolina resident Milca Curiel.
Health Minister Dr. Víctor Elías Atallah Lajam announced the establishment of a committee to provide psychological assistance to the families of victims.
More than 20 injuries remained hospitalized on Wednesday, including at least eight in critical condition.
“The thing that they favor is that they are young,” said Dr. Julio Landrón, director-general of Ney Arias Lora Trauma Hospital, who had 21 JETs injured in the hospital, including five in critical condition.
However, Randren warned that none of them were clear, pointing out some fractures in the skull, femur and pelvis.
“They spent hours, more than six, seven, eight hours under rubble, with multiple fractures, multiple injuries, and related to being crushed,” he said.
Searching dozens of crazy relatives listened to officials reading aloud about the list of victims identified by the Forensic College, while others searched for relatives from hospitals, some snatched photos.
“Francisco Alberto Méndez…Rosa Herminia Pérez…Ramón Teodoro Jiménez…Juan Manuel Santana,” an official read about the crowd struggling.
“Here! Here!” Hearing the name of the person he loved, he shouted someone.
Among the crowd is Virginia Rosario, who is searching for relatives including her still missing cousin, whose sister Rosa Herminia Pérez has passed away, and she is described as “beautiful, precious, and very friendly”.
“I’m in pain,” she said. “I have many moments of despair.”
Officials said they were unable to identify at least 33 bodies on Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s a very painful situation,” said Pedro Martínez, a member of the state, who also disappeared.
Among those looking for friends and family are Kimberly Jones, whose Godson is the 45-year-old artist Osiris Blanc and his friend disappeared.
“It’s their favorite place, and I’ve been there almost every Monday,” Jones said, saying her niece was missing, too.
It is unclear what caused the roof collapse or when the jet building was last inspected.
The club issued a statement saying it is working with the authorities. A family spokesman who owns the club told the Associated Press that she raised questions about potential inspections.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Public Works Department referred the question to the mayor’s office. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
