The number of people known to have been killed by a collapsing roof at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic reached at least 124 on Wednesday as officials scrambled to identify the victims.
More than 255 people were injured by falling concrete slabs at the Jet Set club in the capital Santo Domingo, which was packed with musicians, professional athletes and government officials when the roof collapsed during a concert.
Victims include merengue music star Rubby Perez, who had been singing to the crowd before the disaster struck, said emergency operations director Juan Manuel Mendez.
Rescue crews are still searching for survivors, more than 36 hours after the collapse.
“We’re going to search tirelessly for people,” Mr Mendez said.
So far, only 54 victims have been identified. Local media reported that they included a cardiologist, a government architect, a retired police officer and the brother of the vice-minister of the Ministry of Youth.
Also killed was Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Octavio Dotel and Dominican player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera.
Nelsy Cruz, governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, alerted President Luis Abinader about the disaster. She called him from underneath the rubble but died later in hospital.
Other victims include saxophonist Luis Solis, who was playing onstage when the roof fell, several Venezuelan bartenders and an army captain who had four young daughters.
Many more victims remained unidentified.
“I have been to many hospitals, and I have not found her,” said Deysi Suriel of her friend, 61-year-old Milca Curiel.
Dozens of frantic relatives crowded at the country’s National Institute of Forensic Pathology, scanning a list of the victims’ names, while others went from hospital to hospital looking for their loved ones, some clutching pictures of them.
“There’s a lot of pain,” said senator Daniel Rivera, the country’s former public health minister. “We need to have a lot of patience.”
Among those searching for relatives was Kimberly Jones, whose godson, 45-year-old artist Osiris Blanc, and his friends are missing.
“It was their favourite place, they went there almost every Monday,” Ms Jones said, adding that her niece was also missing.
It was not immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse or when the building was last inspected.
The club issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works referred questions to the mayor’s office, which did not respond to a request for comment.
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