Dominican Republic halts rescue efforts following devastating ceiling failure at nightclub incident

Rescue teams in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday concluded their search for survivors following a catastrophic nightclub roof collapse—this marks one of its most tragic disasters over recent years, with confirmed death toll rising beyond 180 individuals within this Caribbean nation.

Authorities announced an additional count of 60 fatalities as the day progressed, pushing total recorded losses up to a grim figure of at least 184 souls lost in these distressing events. A spokesppective earlier stated that "all reasonable possibilities for discovering any remaining survivors" had been thoroughly investigated and deemed exhausted; henceforth the rescue operation's priority would shift towards retrieving remains from the site of tragedy.

The head official at Santo Domingo’s fire service, Jose Luis Frometa Herasme communicated this development as well: “Our relentless efforts to locate survivors will now evolve into a search for bodies.” This statement was issued in response to an incident occurring during the early hours of Tuesday night at Jet Set club—a staple location within Santo Domingo's nocturnal social scene.

Families who are still await anxiously outside this site, hoping against hope that their relatives might have emerged from such a calamity were reported by media outlets present on the ground for these unfolding events.

In excess of three hundred rescue workers—supported not just locally but also with aid arriving in kind formations from Puerto Rico and Israel via firefighting forces, along with sniffer dogs at their disposal —have been laboriously combing through heaps formed by rubble for two days straight. The aftermath has unveiled a scene reminiscent of devastation caused following an earthquake; where once stood the roofed Jet Set nightclub now only ruins remain, creating significant difficulties in identification and recovery efforts ongoing at this time due to substantial amounts of debris present including bricks, steel bars and tin sheets.

The incident witnessing a crowd exceedingly larger than designed capacity—an estimated range between 500-1,700 individuals within the Jet Set club when disaster struck about half past midnight local time on Tuesday - involved not just ordinary folks seeking enjoyment but also notable figures such as merengue singer Rubby Pérez and two former Major League Baseball players.

Rubby’s daughter Zulinka was among those who managed to escape, while her father did unfortunately succumb without hope of survival despite efforts from the rescue teams involved in these arduous endeavors for a second consecutive day under such challenging circumstances involving significant amounts fallen debris and extensive manpower.

Messages expressing condolences were dispatched by figures extending beyond national boundaries—US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio, Pope Francis all had convey their deepest sympathies to affected families on this particularly difficult occasion further exacerbated upon learning that at least one American citizen was among those tragically lost.

A survivor named Iris Pena recounted a chilling experience—where amidst the event, debris began raining down like dust adding to overall chaos; such an impact resonating strong enough for her memory recalling it felt comparable with forces unleashed during natural disasters.

Following this catastrophic incident in Santo Domingo’s history—one that overshadows previous losses including significant death count from a 2005 prison fire and ongoing search efforts continue alongside expressions of grief pouring forth across Latin America, recognizing the loss suffered by Rubby Pérez as well honoring contributions made throughout his career.

President Luis Abinader declared three days dedicated to national mourning for this nation’s citizens—a gesture aimed not just at acknowledging immense collective suffering but also marking an essential step forward in healing processes post such profound tragedy within their shared history and cultural narratives.