Statement from Senator Cordell Cleare on the Tragic Collapse at Jet Set Nightclub in Santo Domingo

I am heartbroken to learn of the devastating tragedy that unfolded early this morning at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, where at least 44 lives were lost and over 160 people were injured following a catastrophic roof collapse during a merengue concert.

 

 My thoughts and prayers are with the families who are mourning unimaginable loss and the families of those who are still missing, with the survivors facing physical and emotional trauma, and with the first responders and search crews who are working tirelessly in hopes of finding more survivors beneath the rubble. 

 

New York is home to one of the largest Dominican communities outside the island, and I know this tragedy reverberates deeply in our neighborhoods—in our homes, churches, and hearts. My sympathies go out to my Dominican community here and on the island as well as my colleagues.