The owner of the Dominican Republic nightclub died after the roof collapsed earlier this month, and the building has been full of structural problems for more than a decade and has used plasterboard for repairs several times.
In his first interview since the April 8 disaster, Antonio Espaillat, manager and owner of the Dominican capital Santo Domingo, told local TV station Telesistema in his first interview that plasterboard had been added to the roof before it was poured in.
According to the Associated Press, he noted that gypsum board has fallen repeatedly over the years, including when water is filtered through the club's air conditioning unit. Espaillat confirmed that no one has inspected the roof or water filtration system.
He told reporters that there are six air conditioning units on the roof, three water tanks, and a generator is installed in an adjacent room, not on the roof.
He explained that every six to eight years a professional crew will be waterproofed on the roof, and the last one will be done a month before the collapse.
“We always buy plasterboard. Always,” he continued.
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Espaillat first learned of the tragedy when his sister was killed when he was trapped in debris with hundreds of others attending the concert by Melenger musician Rubby Pérez.
He attended the meeting in Las Vegas when he received the news.
“I want to say sorry to the victim's family. Sorry,” Espaillat said. He continued, “I was destroyed.” He added that if he could stop the collapse, he would do his best.
“No warning, nothing. We were all surprised,” he said.
Espaillat did not participate in the rescue work for his safety concerns as angry crowds gathered at the scene.
A woman argues with Forensic National College morgue employees about delays in information after a roof crash held at Jet Set Nightclub in Santo Domingo earlier this month.
Martin Bernetti / Getty Images
The club was founded 52 years ago by Espaillat's mother Ana Grecia López, who was only six years old, and had become the backbone of the city's nightlife and had been in the city for thirty years before the bankruptcy of about 515 people inside this month.
Friends and relatives gathered outside a jet nightclub in Santo Domingo on April 12, 2025 to pay tribute to the victims who died when they collapsed earlier this month.
Eddy Vittini/Getty Images
Rescuers found 189 survivors within 53 hours of the disaster. Dozens of other hospitalized.
The victims included seven doctors, a retired UN official, former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, and Montechristi Governor Nelsy Cruz, who are sisters of seven-time Major League All-Star Nelson Cruz.
At least three lawsuits were filed against the owners, the Dominican government and the Mayor of San Domingo.
The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages from the owner and is convicted of involuntary homicide against the owner.
Espaillat said he has hardly slept in the weeks since the roof was poured in, and he has been in touch with the family of employees and some of the victims.
“I'm going to face everything,” he said. “I'm not going anywhere.”
Since the disaster, questions have been raised about the safety of buildings in Santo Domingo and other parts of the country. The Dominican government has created a dedicated working group dedicated to investigating the causes of the incident.
Currently, no government agency is committed to inspecting private enterprise buildings in the Dominican Republic, although President Louis Abinard announced last week that new legislation is expected to change the issue.
– Documents with the Associated Press
& Copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
