At least 44 people died when a nightclub’s roof collapsed in the Dominican Republic.
Jet Set’s roof fell just an hour after a concert started in the building in the country’s capital Santo Domingo, crushing many of the attendees. More than 160 were injured.
Blood-soaked survivors described what felt like an earthquake shortly before midnight on Monday.
‘It happened so quickly’, said Enrique Paulino, who manages the merengue singer Rubby Perez. ‘I managed to throw myself into a corner.’
More than 300 people were packed in to see the 69-year-old musician perform.
Rescue teams continue to pull bodies from the rubble, but it is not yet clear how many still trapped inside will survive.
Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations, said: ‘We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble.’
President Luis Abinader wrote on X: ‘We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have followed the case minute by minute since it happened.
‘All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.