The Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic, where a roof collapse tragically killed 235 people in April, is at the center of a criminal investigation. Key personnel at the nightclub were reportedly aware of the serious structural issues long before the disaster occurred.
Gregorio Adames, the reservations manager, expressed his concerns about the crumbling roof via a WhatsApp message to Antonio Espaillat, the club’s owner. Chunks of the roof had begun falling, particularly alarming as over 379 tickets had been sold for a scheduled show. Despite the warnings, decisions were delayed as Espaillat was out of town and his sister, Maribel, refused to make significant calls without him.
The catastrophic failure happened at 12:44 a.m. on April 8, resulting in nearly 200 injuries and massive loss of life, including many from the U.S. Prosecutors have charged the Espaillats with involuntary manslaughter, calling for stringent penalties, including potential house arrest and no bail for the primary owner. Future hearings will determine their fate as the community mourns the extensive loss.
Gregorio Adames, the reservations manager, expressed his concerns about the crumbling roof via a WhatsApp message to Antonio Espaillat, the club’s owner. Chunks of the roof had begun falling, particularly alarming as over 379 tickets had been sold for a scheduled show. Despite the warnings, decisions were delayed as Espaillat was out of town and his sister, Maribel, refused to make significant calls without him.
The catastrophic failure happened at 12:44 a.m. on April 8, resulting in nearly 200 injuries and massive loss of life, including many from the U.S. Prosecutors have charged the Espaillats with involuntary manslaughter, calling for stringent penalties, including potential house arrest and no bail for the primary owner. Future hearings will determine their fate as the community mourns the extensive loss.
