Brooklyn’s Dominican community mourns as death toll hits 221 in Santo Domingo nightclub collapse
For some, the loss was deeply personal. One woman at a local salon said her friend had been at the nightclub that night and was unaccounted for for days.
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Authorities in the Dominican Republic ended their search and rescue operations on Thursday, three days after the roof of the popular Jet Set nightclub collapsed during a packed event on Monday.
Among the 221 victims was Rubby Pérez, a legendary figure in Dominican music known for his powerful voice and decades-long career.
In Cypress Hills, Pérez’s music could still be heard playing from local businesses as residents processed the tragedy.
RELATED: Number of dead in a roof collapse at Dominican Republic nightclub rises to 221
“I feel it in my heart,” one restaurant owner said. “I’m very affected because he was one of my favorite artists.”
For some, the loss was deeply personal. One woman at a local salon said her friend had been at the nightclub that night and was unaccounted for for days.
“She was there that day, and they couldn’t find her,” she said. “Yesterday, we learned that she had passed away.”
Another man said his friend managed to survive.
“He got out with a broken foot and hand,” he said. “But thank God I was able to communicate with him and he’s safe.”
Emotions are running high in the neighborhood. Residents describe feeling both heartbreak and anger, and are now calling for accountability.
“They have to put them all in jail—the owners, everyone,” one man said.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.
