SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — The first legal action has been initiated in response to the tragic roof collapse at the iconic Jet Set nightclub, which claimed the lives of 231 people earlier this month.
The family of Virgilio Rafael Cruz Aponte, one of the victims, has filed a lawsuit against nightclub owner Antonio Espaillat, his mother Ana Grecia López, the Dominican government, and the Santo Domingo mayor’s office. The suit is seeking unspecified damages and is calling for criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter against the club’s owners.
A spokesperson for the nightclub’s ownership stated that they are continuing to fully cooperate with the authorities during the ongoing investigation.
President Luis Abinader noted that no government body currently oversees the structural integrity of private commercial buildings like nightclubs. He added that the government is now working on legislation to address this gap.
The exact cause of the collapse, which occurred during a merengue concert by singer Rubby Pérez on April 8, is still under investigation. Over 400 people were in attendance at the time of the incident. A technical team, including both local and international experts, has been assembled to determine what went wrong.