Jet Set owners charged with involuntary homicide after deadly roof collapse – National

Owners of Jet setA popular nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republicwhere 236 people were killed When his roof collapsed During a live concert in early April, unintentional homicide was arrested, said the Dominican public prosecutor’s office.

The Establishment roof collapsed in the small hours of April 8 with hundreds of spectators inside, which prompted a research and rescue effort of several days to find survivors and the deceased, the indignation projects the test concerning the safety codes of the lower buildings of the country.

Antonio Spaillat, an eminent Dominican businessman and the owner of the club, who also runs dozens of local radio stations and several entertainment centers, was arrested Thursday after a former employee presented evidence proving that he had advised the owners, in particular reports, to cancel the concert because the building roof was in a dangerous condition, according to report reports report reports The New York Times.

According to NBC NewsThe man identified himself as the former Jet Set employee, Gregory Adamés, during an interview with Altinanto TV, a local Dominican digital news channel, who says he provided prosecutors with a video of conversations with Espailt where he advised that the unhappy part should not go ahead because the roof could collapse.

Espailt was arrested Thursday after attending an audience at the Office of the Attorney General in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, confirmed his lawyer, Jorge Luis Polanco.

Maribel Espailt, Antonio’s sister, who directed the club, was also accused of manslaughter.

In a declaration published by the New York Times, the prosecutor’s office wrote that the brothers and sisters “have demonstrated immense irresponsibility and negligence by not doing what was necessary to ensure that the Jet Set Club roof was adequately and expert”, adding that they had tried to “manipulate or intimidate” employees who could have been potential witnesses.

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He did not provide additional details.

In an interview shortly after the disaster, Espailt seemed to express remorse, telling the media that he had been “destroyed” by the mortal incident that killed 236 peopleAdding that if he had been able to prevent collapse, he would have done so.

“There was no warning, nothing. We were all surprised,” he said.

“I’m going to face everything,” he added. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Espailt did not attend the premises during rescue efforts for concerns for its safety, because the angry crowds had gathered on the site.

The club, founded 52 years ago by the mother of Espailt, Ana Grecia López, when he was only six years old, had become a pillar of the city’s nightlife and was frequented by many high -level individuals.

He stayed in the same place for three decades before his collapse in April with around 515 people inside, according to the owners.

The victims of the collapse included seven doctors, an official in the United Nations retired, the former players of the MLB Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the province of Montecristi and the sister of seven major leagues of Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, reported the AP.

He also killed the Merengue star, Rubby Perez, who performed when the roof collapsed.

There is currently no government agency dedicated to inspecting buildings of private companies in the Dominican Republic, although President Luis Abinader announced after the collapse of the introduction of new legislation, which should change this.

– with files from the Associated Press

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