Dominican Republic Nightclub Owner Speaks Out After Deadly Roof Collapse

Owner's Account of the Collapse

• 📌 The owner of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo claims he received no prior warnings of any structural problems before the deadly roof collapse.
• 💡 He stated that he is unaware of any structural inspections ever being conducted on the building throughout its history.
• 🏠 His family has operated the club in the building for approximately 30 years.
• ⚠️ Throughout this period, he asserts that no engineer, architect, or state authority ever performed a structural review.

Building Maintenance and Safety Concerns

• 🛠️ The owner mentioned that air conditioning units routinely leaked onto the plaster ceiling panels for decades, causing sections to fall.
• 🔄 Jet Set employees would replace damaged ceiling sections, a task that was performed the night of the collapse.
• ❓ It remains unclear if this maintenance activity contributed to the collapse.
• 🤝 The owner stated he is cooperating with authorities as they investigate the cause of the incident.

Victim's Family Response

• 💔 The family of Jennifer Contraras, a victim from New Jersey, believes the owner should have taken more precautions.
• 🗣️ They question the practice of employees being solely responsible for fixing ceiling issues, deeming it nonsensical.
• ⚖️ The family is in touch with attorneys to explore potential legal actions.

Industry Standards and Official Response

• 🏢 The club owner noted that structural inspections are not common practice for businesses in the area.
• ❓ However, the Contraras family insists that the owner should have proactively inspected the structure to ensure public safety.
• 📞 Efforts to get a statement from Dominican officials regarding the lack of inspections have not yet yielded a response.