The family of one of the 231 individuals who perished when the roof of a Dominican nightclub collapsed on concert-goers is pursuing manslaughter charges against the owners of the venue, as indicated in a legal document.
The spouse and parents of the victim, Virgilio Cruz, lodged a complaint with prosecutors, asserting that the proprietors of the Jet Set nightclub demonstrated negligence in “safety design” and the building modifications, which now lay in ruins.
The family contended that there is “sufficient evidentiary merit to indict” the club owners for involuntary manslaughter and indicated their intention to also file a civil liability claim against the Dominican Republic authorities.
Rescue teams worked at the Jet Set nightclub a day after the roof collapsed in Santo Domingo.
“This tragedy is not solely the responsibility of the owners and managers of the Jet Set nightclub… but also of Dominican state institutions” and the municipality, the filing stated.
The roof of the club, a mainstay of the capital Santo Domingo for half a century, collapsed in the early hours of April 8, during a concert featuring merengue star Rubby Perez, who also lost his life in this catastrophic event—the worst disaster the Caribbean nation has experienced in decades.
As of Monday, authorities have reported the death toll at 231, with many more injured.
‘Avoidable tragedy’
The legal filing presented evidence indicating that the building, which had been standing for 52 years, had deteriorated due to age, a recent fire, insufficient repairs, and “undue loads” on the roof from heavy equipment, such as air conditioning units.
“The facts outlined herein illustrate a chain of structural negligence and safety oversights, attributable not only to the nightclub’s managers and shareholders but also to public institutions,” the document stated.
“These institutions, by neglecting their responsibilities of inspection, oversight, and control, violated their legal obligations and created a hazardous environment that led to this avoidable tragedy.”
Watch: Emergency crews search the site of the Dominican Republic nightclub tragedy
More than 300 rescuers, supported by sniffer dogs, tirelessly searched for survivors over several days, successfully rescuing 189 people from the debris of twisted steel, zinc, and brick that remains of the structure.
The Dominican government has established a commission of national and international experts to examine the disaster.
A preliminary list of victims includes an Italian, two French nationals, and “several” Americans, according to the US State Department.
Aerial visuals of the site depict a scene reminiscent of the aftermath of an earthquake.
A video shared on social media captured the venue, which could accommodate 1,700 guests, suddenly engulfed in darkness while Perez was performing, followed by the sounds of crashing and screams.
Among the high-profile victims was 69-year-old Perez, along with two retired Major League Baseball players and a provincial governor.
