The roof of the Jet Set disco collapsed the early morning of April 8 leaving a balance of 232 people killed. The Dominican Republic government ordered the beginning of an investigation
Antonio Espaillat, owner of the disco who collapsed in the Dominican Republic with a balance of 232 dead, said on Wednesday, April 23 that the premises “always” had filtration problems and that “never” was supervised by the authorities.
«Always in the building there was filtration. Even when we bought it at the end of the 1980s, it had leaks, ”said Antonio Espaillat, responsible for the popular nightclub, in an interview with the local Telesystem channel.
The roof of the Jet Set disco collapsed the morning of April 8 with fatal consequences. Images from the air allowed to observe the air conditioning devices that released water by the structure.
«We had the roof on a plasterboard and we always dropped the plasterboard. That is why the white plaster dust. (It fell) due to filtration, the water of the air conditioners. We did not realize because the plasterboard did not bulging. The plasterboard absorbs all the water, the plaster gets heavy and falls, ”he added that on the same day of the collapse these panels were changed.
The Dominican government ordered an investigation for the tragedy and experts agreed that the causes were an overload of the structure, combined with a poor control of the authorities.
*Also read: RESPONSIBLE FOR DOMINICANA COLAPSADA IN DOMINICANA
Espaillat said that the premises of the premises “was in a room adjacent to the building” since its inauguration 30 years ago and that “the sound was attached to the walls with the low on the floor, which is what weighs” on the structure.
«If it had been something that could be avoided (…) I would have tried to avoid it. My sister was there, my mother was there all the time, ”added the manager. His relatives were under the rubble and survived.
In addition, he indicated that the authorities “never” verified if the premises had a building problem.
Dominican President Luis Abinader said after the tragedy that there is no law that forces an inspection of private buildings in the country and indicated that the Ministry of Housing works on a bill on this issue.
Espaillat was sued by relatives of at least three deceased, who accuse him of involuntary homicide. The authorities have not yet ruled on the matter.
The popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez, two Dominican former Dominican who played in the American MLB League and the governor of the province of Montecristi, Nelsy Cruz, died in the tragedy.
With information from Swisinfo.ch
*Journalism in Venezuela is exercised in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments arranged for the punishment of the word, especially the laws “against hatred”, “against fascism” and “against blockade.” This content is being published taking into account the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
