SANTO DOMINGO (AP) — Rescue teams in the Dominican Republic were excavating on Thursday among the remains of the Jet Set nightclub whose roof collapsed earlier in the week, killing at least 184 people, but the hopes of finding survivors were slim.
Meanwhile, dozens of people continued to search for their loved ones in the capital, Santo Domingo, frustrated by not getting answers after visiting hospitals and the country’s forensic institute.
The doctors warned that some of the two dozen patients who were still hospitalized were not out of danger yet, especially the eight in critical condition.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Víctor Atallah, stated that if the trauma is too severe, there was not much time left to save patients in that condition.
Government announced that it has moved to the body recovery phase
The government announced on Wednesday night that they were transitioning to a recovery phase focused on finding bodies, but Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Center, pointed out that the teams on site were still searching for victims and possible survivors, although no one has been found alive since Tuesday afternoon.
“We are not going to abandon anyone. Our work will continue,” he stated.
The legendary club was filled with musicians, professional athletes, and government officials when dust started falling from the ceiling and into people’s drinks in the early hours of Tuesday. Minutes later, the roof collapsed.
Among the victims are merengue icon Rubby Pérez, who had been singing before the collapse; former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, and Nelsy Cruz, governor of the northeastern province of Montecristi and sister of Nelson Cruz, a seven-time MLB All-Star.
A retired United Nations official also died; saxophonist Luis Solís, who was playing on stage at the time of the collapse; fashion designer based in New York Martín Polanco; the son and daughter-in-law of the Minister of Public Works; the brother of the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Youth; and three employees of Grupo Popular, a financial services company, including the president of Banco AFP Popular and his wife.
Randolfo Rijo Gómez, director of the emergency phone line 911, said that he received more than 100 calls, several of them from people buried under the rubble. The police arrived at the scene in 90 seconds and minutes later, the first response units arrived, he explained. Within less than half an hour, 25 soldiers, seven fire brigades, and 77 ambulances were mobilized, he pointed out.
The teams used dogs and thermal cameras to search for the victims and pulled out 145 survivors from the wreckage, according to authorities.
The government said on Wednesday night that once the recovery phase is over, they will start a thorough investigation to understand the reasons for the roof collapse.