An investigation has been underway in the Dominican Republic after the collapse of a nightclub roof claimed the lives of over 200 people.
In early April of this year, the roof of the Jet Set club in Santo Domingo collapsed onto at least 300 party-goers and staff members, including two former MLB players.
On the night in question, Rubby Pérez was performing. Sadly, the well-loved Dominican merengue singer lost his life in the ordeal as well.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office went on to carry out an investigation into the matter and the club’s owners, siblings Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, have since been arrested and were taken into custody on June 12.
Both have been charged with involuntary homicide, the New York Times reports.
Over 200 people died when the roof of Jet Set nightclub collapsed in April (MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)
Dominican Republic’s Attorney General’s Office said in a statement about their detainment: “Both defendants displayed immense irresponsibility and negligence by failing to physically intervene to prevent the club’s roof from collapsing, as it ultimately did, causing 236 deaths and more than 180 injuries.”
Renovations made to the club were reportedly made ‘without obtaining the required permits or conducting the necessary structural assessments from the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) or the Mayor’s Office of the National District’, Dominican Today reports.
These changes demonstrated ‘a complete disregard for building and safety laws’, said prosecutors.
Businessman Antonio Espaillat has been charged with involuntary manslaughter (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
They added in their allegations: “A key column in the structure was subsequently removed, significantly affecting the roof’s stability, without any professional assessment or permit to support the modification, demonstrating high-risk behavior.”
The roof of the Jet Set Club was also said to have been overloaded with heavy elements.
Allegedly the Espaillats are aware of the structural issues the building had ‘through visual reports (photos and videos) and communications from their employees’, but they chose to ignore concerns.
With all this in mind, the Public Prosecutor’s Office have argued that the events that unfolded on April 8 ‘would have been entirely avoidable if the defendants had acted according to the law and valued life over money‘.
Maribel Espaillat was also arrested on June 12 (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
Prosecutors went on: “The defendant, Maribel Espaillat, was aware of a falling debris incident hours before the collapse and in response to a request to suspend the activity, refused to do so, citing the absence of the defendant Antonio Espaillat López and the impossibility of stopping the party, prioritizing economic gain over the safety and lives of people.”
It isn’t a thought a trial date for the pair has been set yet.
