The proprietor of the Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic, where a tragic roof collapse occurred earlier this month, stated to local media on Wednesday that he had received no prior indication of any structural issues with the roof. Nightclub owner Antonio Espaillat informed the TV program El Dia RD that he is currently awaiting official reports to ascertain the cause of the collapse, which resulted in the deaths of at least 231 individuals while the club was at full capacity with between 510 and 515 patrons.
While an official investigation is underway, Espaillat mentioned that his legal team is considering whether to pursue an independent inquiry. Espaillat, a prominent businessman who owns 50 radio stations in the Dominican Republic, was attending a conference in Las Vegas when he received a call from his sister, who was trapped under the debris but managed to survive. She recounted hearing an explosion just before the roof gave way.
Despite undergoing aesthetic renovations in 2000 and 2015, Espaillat noted that the club had been in operation for 30 years without significant structural modifications. The roof supported six air conditioning units, which had been installed approximately 10 years ago, along with three water tanks.
The club frequently experienced waterproofing problems, which Espaillat attributed to condensation from the air conditioning units and believed were not indicative of more serious structural concerns. According to Espaillat, the building had never undergone a structural assessment by an engineer or architect, nor had it been inspected by state authorities.
The only evaluations conducted were by firefighters and the city council, focusing solely on basic safety and licensing matters.
