At least 18 people were killed and more than 120 were injured after the roof of a nightclub collapsed in the Dominican Republic's capital early this morning, the Associated Press reported, citing a statement from authorities.
Rescue teams continue to search for survivors under the ruins of the "Jet Set" club in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Emergency Operations Center.
"We assume that many are still alive, and that is why the teams here will not stop until there is no one left under the rubble," he said.
The governor of the province of Monte Cristi, Nelsi Cruz, was among the dead, and one of the injured was merengue singer Ruby Perez, who was on stage when the roof collapsed, authorities said.
Perez's manager - Enrique Paulino, wearing a blood-spattered T-shirt - told reporters that the concert began shortly before midnight and the roof collapsed an hour after it started. The incident killed the band's saxophonist.
"It happened so quickly. "I managed to throw myself into the corner," Paulino said, adding that he initially thought there was an earthquake.
President Luis Abinader wrote on the social network "Ex" that all rescue services "are working tirelessly" to help the victims.
"We are very sorry for the tragedy that occurred at the "Jet Set" nightclub. "We have been following the incident minute by minute since it happened," he wrote.
Abinader arrived at the scene and hugged many of the people who, with tears streaming from their eyes, were looking for their relatives and friends.
An employee with a megaphone, standing in front of the club, called on the huge crowd of people to make way for ambulances.
In front of one of the hospitals where the injured were taken, officials read out loud the names of the survivors, while joyful shouts of people who heard the names of their loved ones could be heard from the crowd.
The cause of the roof collapse is not yet known, the AP said.