The first lawsuit has been filed against the owners of the Jet Set nightclub over the disaster that killed at least 231 people in the Dominican Republic.

More than 400 people were inside the club in Santo Domingo for a merengue concert by 69-year-old singer Rubby Pérez, who was among the victims when the roof collapsed in the early hours of 8 April.

Interior minister Faride Raful told reporters that 189 people had been pulled alive from the rubble, while a dozen are still being treated in hospital.

It was the deadliest nightclub disaster in more than a decade – since 242 people died and over 600 injured at Kiss in southern Brazil in January 2013.

Now, the parents and widow of police lieutenant Virgilio Rafael Cruz Aponte, who died in the Jet Set club tragedy, are seeking manslaughter charges against the 52-year-old venue’s owner and managers, and are also pursuing a civil claim against the authorities.

“This tragedy is not only attributable to the owners and managers of the Jet Set nightclub… but also to Dominican state institutions”

“This tragedy is not only attributable to the owners and managers of the Jet Set nightclub… but also to Dominican state institutions,” reads the filing, as per France 24. “They failed to fulfil their legal duties of supervision, inspection, and authorisation of operations for establishments open to the public.

“The facts described here testify to a chain of structural negligence and security omissions, attributable not only to the managers [and] shareholders of the nightclub, but also to public institutions.

“These institutions, by failing in their duties of inspection, supervision, and control, violated their legal functions and fostered a dangerous environment that culminated in this avoidable tragedy.”

The nightclub’s owner Antonio Espaillat has said he is fully co-operating with the probe into the cause of the collapse.

Local and international experts have been drafted in as part of the investigation, which is likely to take several months, according to the authorities.

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Investigators say it is still too early to determine the cause of the deadly roof collapse at Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic after the death toll from the tragedy reached 226.

Hundreds of people were in attendance at the 1,000-cap nightclub in the capital Santo Domingo for a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez at the time of the collapse in the early hours of 8 April.

Dust reportedly began falling from the ceiling and into people’s drinks moments before the entire roof collapsed. Pérez was killed in the incident, while other victims included ex-Major League Baseball (MLB) players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera and Montecristi governor Nelsy Cruz.

More than 200 people were also injured and 14 remain in hospital – four of them in a critical condition.

The government says that “all reasonable possibilities of finding more survivors” had been exhausted, with the focus of the operation now shifting to recovering bodies – a move it clarifies is “simply a reflection of technical criteria and does not signify in any way that the case is being closed or that attention to the tragedy will be reduced”.

According to district attorney Rosalba Ramos, the process has moved into the expert assessment phase, which will establish the cause before a legal investigation can be opened. ABC reports that a commission of experts is being created.

Authorities say that part of the Jet Set club, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary, was previously damaged in a 2023 fire.

A public memorial for Pérez, who was aged 69, was held on Thursday (10 April) at Santo Domingo’s Eduardo Brito National Theater and was attended by fans, fellow musicians and dignitaries.

The tragedy came just weeks after 61 people died in a fire during a concert by hip-hop duo DNK at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani, North Macedonia.

It is the deadliest nightclub disaster in more than a decade – since 242 people died and over 600 injured at the Kiss nightclub in the city of Santa Maria southern Brazil in January 2013.

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The confirmed death toll from the Jet Set club roof collapse in the Dominican Republic has reached 184.

The victims included merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing at the 1,000-cap nightclub in Santo Domingo when the tragedy unfolded in the early hours of 8 April.

“It is with deep regret that we report the passing of our beloved Rubby Pérez,” says a post on the 69-year-old’s social media channels. “We sincerely appreciate all the love, support and solidarity we have received at this very difficult time to your family, friends and supporters. His musical and human legacy will live forever in our hearts.”

Hundreds of people were in attendance at the concert. AP reports that dust began falling from the ceiling and into people’s drinks moments before the entire roof collapsed.

More than 255 people were injured, according to the authorities, with rescue crews still searching for survivors among the debris.

“There are not enough words to express the pain caused by this event”

“As long as they report that there is a missing person, we will be here,” said emergency operations director Juan Manuel Méndez.

The cause of the tragedy is not yet known, with investigations currently ongoing. The 50-year-old venue stresses that it is collaborating “fully and transparently” with the authorities to clarify what happened.

“The loss of life leaves us in a state of profound pain and dismay,” adds the club’s statement. “We have activated all possible mechanisms to provide support to those affected. There are not enough words to express the pain caused by this event. What happened has been devastating for everyone.”

A spokesperson says the club’s management remain in “constant communication” with the Emergency Operations Center (COE), while search and rescue efforts continue with emergency teams, volunteers, and staff from more than 22 institutions.

The tragedy comes just weeks after 60 people died in a fire during a concert by hip-hop duo DNK at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani, North Macedonia.

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At least 98 people have died after a roof collapsed during a concert at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic.

The tragedy occurred at 12.45am this morning (8 April) at the 1,000-cap Jet Set Club in the capital Santo Domingo, where merengue singer Rubby Pérez was performing. The band’s saxophonist was among those killed.

More than 150 people were injured, with the emergency services still working to rescue survivors trapped under the debris.

“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,” said Juan Manuel Méndez, the director of the emergency operations centre.

“It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner”

Méndez noted that ambulances had transported more than 100 casualties to hospitals in the area.

Pérez’s manager Enrique Paulino told reporters he initially thought the ceiling collapse was an earthquake, adding: “It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner.”

It is not yet known what caused the incident.

In a post on X, president Luis Abinader said: “We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub.  “We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred. All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families.”

The tragedy comes less than a month after dozens of people died in a fire during a concert by hip-hop duo DNK at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani, North Macedonia. The death toll from the blaze rose to 60 last week with the passing of a critically-injured burns victim. Thirty-four people remain in custody.

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Four people have died after attending New Year’s Eve music festival Pinkfish Countdown 2024 in Selangor, Malaysia.

The victims – two men and two women aged between 20 and 40 – are suspected to have taken ecstasy, according to local police. Two other festivalgoers are also being treated in hospital, while another has been discharged.

Sudden death investigations have been opened with toxicology results still pending, according to Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan.

“From our preliminary investigation, it was found that all four [who died] attended the Pinkfish concert at Sunway Lagoon on the night of the incident and are believed to have taken ecstasy pills,” says Khan, as per Free Malaysia.

“Police have recorded statements from six witnesses, and several others will be called to assist in the investigation, including the concert organisers and the victims’ friends.”

The festival, which was curated by Hitman Solutions and Happy Moon, took place at Surf Beach, Sunway Lagoon, on 31 December. Top-billed acts included Sarah Landry, Showtek, Blasterjaxx, Cosmic Gate and Nifra.

“As the event organiser, we are fully committed to cooperating with the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident”

The team behind the event has expressed its condolences to the families and friends of the victims, and vowed to fully cooperate with the investigation, while noting the fatalities “occurred outside the event’s premises”.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident following Pinkfish Countdown 2024 which resulted in the loss of four lives,” says a statement from Pinkfish Management. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the four individuals during this difficult time.

“As the event organiser, we are fully committed to cooperating with the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident and took note of the Royal Malaysian Police’s (PDRM) confirmation that these deaths occurred outside the event’s premises.”

Promoters are also seeking to provide reassurance over their existing safety measures.

“The safety and well-being of our attendees, staff and surrounding community have always been our highest priority, and we are working closely with the relevant agencies to provide the necessary support to those impacted, included families of the deceased,” adds the statement.

“While we await the outcome of the full investigation into this incident, we wish to reassure the public that every precaution has been taken to ensure the safety of our events, including Pinkfish Countdown 2024. These measures include, among others, the presence of more than 100 police officers and the deployment of trained security personnel and K9 units at all entrance points.”

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Investigations are ongoing after a worker fell to his death while dismantling the stage following Iron Maiden’s concerts in Chile.

The rock band performed two nights at the Estadio Nacional (National Stadium) in Santiago on 27-28 November, promoted by DG Medios.

The 30-year-old stagehand, who worked for an external company, suffered a fatal head injury after falling 14m when a metal pillar gave way, according to the Metropolitan Homicide Brigade of the Investigative Police. The incident took place at around 1pm on Friday (29 November).

“Due to circumstances that are being investigated and which are currently in the hands of the relevant agencies, an accident occurred during the dismantling process of one of the stage towers, which resulted in the unfortunate death of one of the people who worked there,” says a statement from DG Medios.

“At this time, as a company, our main concern is to cooperate with the investigation and support the worker’s family”

“At this time, as a company, our main concern is to cooperate with the investigation and support the worker’s family.”

The Clinic reports that preliminary investigations showed the victim, a Chilean national, had complied with the correct safety measures, adding that the cause of the detachment of the metal structure was still being investigated.

Iron Maiden visited the country as part of the Latin American leg of their Future Past World Tour, which continues tonight (2 December) at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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A Brazilian rock singer has been killed in freak circumstances after being electrocuted during a concert.

Ayres Sasaki, 35, was reportedly performing at a hotel in Salinópolis, Pará, last Saturday (13 July), when a fan jumped on stage and hugged him while drenched in water, causing him to suffer an electric shock through a nearby cable. It was not known why the fan was sodden when approaching the musician.

Sasaki died instantly, with Istoe reporting that the case is now being investigated by Salinópolis police.

Pará Civil Police confirms witnesses are being spoken to and have requested reports from experts to assist the investigation.

“We reaffirm our commitment to fully cooperating with the competent authorities for the proper clarification of the events”

His aunt, Rita Matos, tells local media: “What we know is that his show was scheduled for a specific time and was moved up, but we are contacting people who were with him at the moment to understand how everything happened. We will gather all the information in a statement that we will release to the press.”

According to the Mirror, Sasaki was dubbed the “king of encores”, having become renowned locally for playing shows for up to 12 hours straight.

A statement by The Solar Hotel, which hosted the gig, reads: “We are fully dedicated to providing support to his family and taking the necessary measures. We reaffirm our commitment to fully cooperating with the competent authorities for the proper clarification of the events.”

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Two young people were killed after falling 40ft when a glass balcony collapsed at a concert in Mexico.

Fifteen people were also injured in the 7 June incident after a section of the third floor barrier shattered at the Rich club in Alttus Plaza, San Luis Potosi, ahead of a show by singer and YouTuber Kevin Moreno, aka Kevin AMF. Five are reported to be in critical condition.

Video footage captured the moment concertgoers tumbled onto the square below the venue.

Town hall representative Jorge Hernandez says the nightclub, which has been closed by the authorities pending further investigation, did not have the necessary permits to host the event.

“The constant and uncontrolled presence of people attending this event caused one of the railings on the third floor of this building to give way under the pressure and lead to this tragedy which claimed the lives of two people, according to the information we have so far,” adds Hernandez, as per the Express and Milenio. “There are around 15 injured, some of them seriously.

“The place known as Rich, where the event took place, did not have a permit or any authorisation to carry it out”

“The place known as Rich, where the event took place, did not have a permit or any authorisation to carry it out, since there is no request for any permit for an event of such nature to take place.”

The two individuals who died have been named as Manuel Alejandro Infante Puente, aged 21, and 17-year-old Rodrigo Espinosa Alonso.

A statement on behalf of Moreno and agency/record label Poker Music reads: “We want to express our most sincere condolences to family and friends for the unfortunate death of young people during the event that occurred in San Luis Potosi. It deeply hurts us to know that some of our beloved followers, who are an essential part of our community, were affected by this unfortunate and sensitive fact.

“There are no words that can console the void left by their absence, but we want them to know that we share their pain and we are here to support them. We will remember those we lost with love and gratitude for the time we shared together.”

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A couple were killed and at least nine people injured when a car loaded with gas canisters was driven into a crowd leaving a New Year concert and collided with another vehicle.

The incident took place at 12.50am on Monday (1 January) following a show by US rock band Moe at the the 1,968-seater Kodak Center in Rochester, New York.

Rochester Police Department chief David Smith told reporters that two officers had been helping pedestrians cross the road in front of the building when the collision occurred.

“Just before the crosswalk, an eastbound Ford Expedition struck a Mitsubishi Outlander that was exiting a nearby parking lot,” he said. “The force of the collision caused the two vehicles to go through a group of pedestrians that were in the crosswalk and then into two other vehicles.

“There was a large fire associated with the crash that took the Rochester Fire Department almost one hour to extinguish.

“Once the fire was extinguished, first responders located at least a dozen gasoline canisters in and around the striking vehicle. Based on the danger level associated with these, the Rochester Police Department bomb squad and the Joint Arson Task Force responded to the scene.”

“So far we’ve uncovered no evidence of an ideology and no nexus to terrorism, either international or domestic”

According to New York Post sources, the crash was initially being investigated as possible domestic terrorism, but no terror link has been found.

“So far we’ve uncovered no evidence of an ideology and no nexus to terrorism, either international or domestic,” said FBI agent Jeremy Bell at a news conference.

The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Michael Avery of Syracuse, later died in hospital of his injuries.

“Although the motive behind the crime remains unknown, the conversations we’ve had with his family so far lead us to believe that Avery may have been suffering from possible undiagnosed mental health issues,” said Smith.

“At this time, we’ve not been able to identify [that] there was anyone else involved in the crime, or that it was part of a larger plot. Additionally, we have not uncovered any information, leading us to believe that the actions of Michael Avery on New Year’s Eve were motivated by any form of political or social biases.

“It must be noted this is an ongoing investigation and additional information may be developed.”

“On a night that was meant for celebration and togetherness, we are faced instead with a tragedy that defies understanding”

Moe have released a statement on social media in response to the tragedy, saying it had left them “in profound shock and sadness”.

“On a night that was meant for celebration and togetherness, we are faced instead with a tragedy that defies understanding,” said the band. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who lost their lives, and our thoughts are with those who were injured.

“We are immensely thankful to the first responders and venue staff for their swift and courageous actions in securing everyone’s safety.”

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Police in Brazil are investigating promoter Time for Fun (T4F) following the death of a Taylor Swift fan who fell ill in sweltering conditions at one of the singer’s Rio shows.

Ana Clara Benevides, 23, lost consciousness during Swift’s performance at Estádio Nilton Santos last Friday (17 November), which took place in the midst of Brazil’s record-breaking heatwave. She was rushed to hospital, where she died after suffering a reported cardiac arrest.

A spokesperson for the Civil Police Department of Rio de Janeiro says it is probing a possible “crime of endangering the life and health” of concert-goers, although the inquiry is not connected to Benevides’ death.

“Event organisers will be called to testify, and other steps are underway to investigate the facts,” reads the police’s statement, as per the Daily Mail.

Fans were reportedly prohibited from bringing their own water bottles into the venue, despite temperatures in Rio reaching 39.1°C on the day of the show, leading to criticism of the promoter, which said the ban was “a requirement made by public bodies”.

“We apologise to the people who didn’t have the best experience possible”

T4F implemented a special action plan for Swift’s remaining two Rio stadium gigs on 19-20 November, which passed off without major incident, offering free water at access points in and around the stadium and enhancing its medical provisions.

In a video posted on social media, the company’s CEO Serafim Abreu offered an apology to attendees “who didn’t have the best experience possible”.

“We know the enormous responsibility we have when organising an event of this size, which is why we spare no effort and resources to always follow the best global practices in the sector, to guarantee comfort and safety for everyone,” said Abreu, as per Brazilian publication Estadao.

“Still, we faced days of extreme heat in Rio de Janeiro, with extremely high and unprecedented thermal sensations. Yes, we recognise that we could have taken some alternative actions, in addition to all the others we have done, such as creating shaded areas in external areas, changing the times of previously scheduled shows and placing more emphasis on allowing entry with disposable water cups.

“We also understand that the entire sector needs to rethink its actions in light of this reality. We apologise to the people who didn’t have the best experience possible.”

“We understand the deep pain of this irreparable loss, we respect the family’s privacy and once again reinforce our willingness to collaborate”

Referencing Benevides’ death, he continued: “Unfortunately, for the first time in more than 40 years of operation, we have had a fatality at an event organised by Time For Fun. We are very saddened by the loss of young Ana Clara, despite the prompt care and all the efforts made by the medical teams at the event and at the hospital.

“To Ana Clara’s family, I want to express our most sincere feelings. I now publicly state our willingness to provide assistance in any way necessary, as we have already said directly to family members and to the lawyer who represents them, by telephone and in writing, since the incident.

“We understand the deep pain of this irreparable loss, we respect the family’s privacy and once again reinforce our willingness to collaborate.”

Swift will wrap up Eras‘ Brazilian leg this weekend with three T4F-presented concerts in São Paulo’s Allianz Parque from 24-26 November.

“For the shows at Allianz Parque, we follow the new position of the authorities,” added Abreu. “Flexible water bottles are allowed to enter, in addition to the disposable water cups that have always been released.”

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