In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Carwin Javie Molleja was celebrating a long-awaited reunion with his mother in the vibrant atmosphere of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo when the unthinkable happened. At 1:00 AM, as merengue star Rubby Pérez electrified the crowd, a small stone fell from the ceiling, triggering an unforeseen catastrophe. "No-one thought that because a small stone fell, the entire roof was going to collapse," Carwin reflected.
Nightclub Disaster Survivor Shares Heart-Rending Experience of Ceiling Collapse
Nightclub Disaster Survivor Shares Heart-Rending Experience of Ceiling Collapse
A harrowing tale emerges from the recent tragedy at Santo Domingo's Jet Set nightclub where chaos reigned during a ceiling collapse.
Carwin, a 32-year-old percussionist who moved to the Dominican Republic eight years prior, had eagerly anticipated this joyful occasion—his first time seeing his mother, Carmin, in three years. However, their night quickly spiraled into horror. "What I have in my head are the screams, the loud sound of the ceiling crumbling, my mom’s screams asking if I’m OK," he recalled.
Amidst the chaos, the ceiling gave way, tragically claiming the lives of 221 people, including the beloved saxophonist Rubby Pérez. While Carwin and his mother managed to escape with minor injuries, Carwin's friend Jessica remained trapped inside. Ignoring his own safety, he re-entered the club, shouting for her amidst the debris but to no avail. "The stones were huge. I felt useless," he admitted, grappling with the helplessness of the situation.
As emergency responders arrived, Carwin witnessed mayhem unfold. Injured patrons were being pulled from the wreckage, yet he felt the weight of regret as he failed to locate his friend. Later, the tragic discovery was made that Jessica and her sister had perished in the collapse, leaving Carwin haunted by a sense of failure.
“I wasn’t able to help her,” he mourned. “It’s horrible not being able to do anything.” This incident serves as a profound reminder of the fragility of life and the unexpected moments that can quickly turn joy into despair.
Amidst the chaos, the ceiling gave way, tragically claiming the lives of 221 people, including the beloved saxophonist Rubby Pérez. While Carwin and his mother managed to escape with minor injuries, Carwin's friend Jessica remained trapped inside. Ignoring his own safety, he re-entered the club, shouting for her amidst the debris but to no avail. "The stones were huge. I felt useless," he admitted, grappling with the helplessness of the situation.
As emergency responders arrived, Carwin witnessed mayhem unfold. Injured patrons were being pulled from the wreckage, yet he felt the weight of regret as he failed to locate his friend. Later, the tragic discovery was made that Jessica and her sister had perished in the collapse, leaving Carwin haunted by a sense of failure.
“I wasn’t able to help her,” he mourned. “It’s horrible not being able to do anything.” This incident serves as a profound reminder of the fragility of life and the unexpected moments that can quickly turn joy into despair.
