Owners of Collapsed Dominican Nightclub Arrested in Tragic Incident That Killed 236
Prosecutors in the Dominican Republic have arrested the owners of a nightclub that collapsed in April, resulting in the deaths of 236 people.
Siblings Antonio and Maribel Espaillat face manslaughter charges following the catastrophic roof collapse at the Jet Set club on April 8 during a concert by merengue legend Rubby Perez.
Perez, 69, was among those killed in what has become the country’s deadliest disaster in decades. Other victims included two former Major League Baseball players and a provincial governor.
Antonio Espaillat, 59, acknowledged after the incident that the nightclub’s roof had been leaking for years but was never inspected.
The Prosecutors in the Dominican collapsed Nightclub have accused the Espaillats of “immense irresponsibility and negligence” for failing to repair the aging structure.
The Dominican Republic currently has no laws mandating safety inspections for privately owned buildings.
In response to the tragedy, President Luis Abinader announced that a bill is being drafted to require regular inspections.
The Espaillat family, owners of a prominent media conglomerate and several businesses including the Jet Set club, now faces over 50 lawsuits filed by relatives of the victims. They have pledged full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
