Early Tuesday morning, the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic collapsed, killing 218 people and injuring 189. As the death toll continues to rise, authorities have now shifted their efforts from search and rescue to recovery. It is currently unknown how many people attended the club, which is in Santo Domingo, that night. Jet Set was reportedly a popular disco that attracted celebrities, athletes, and well-known local families. Among the deceased are a governor, a family of prominent bankers, two former Major League Baseball players, and merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing that evening.
As details of the tragedy continue to trickle out, celebrities are posting in support of the survivors and in commemoration of the lives lost. Cardi B, whose father is Dominican, posted an image of a black ribbon over a map of the Dominican Republic to her Instagram Story on Tuesday. The following day, Zoe Saldaña, who has Dominican heritage on both sides of her family, posted a graphic in collaboration with Cinestar Pictures, the production company she co-founded. “To our beloved Dominican Republic, our hearts are broken,” the caption read. “Sending love and strength to the victims, their families, and all those affected. In times of loss, may we come together in solidarity and compassion.”
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Per “Page Six,” Dominican American actress Dascha Polanco posted tributes to her Instagram Story, honoring Pérez and World Series–winning baseball player Octavio Dotel, who also died in the disaster.
While the community mourns its loss, recovery efforts are ongoing. On Wednesday, director of the emergency operations center Juan Manuel Méndez told the New York Times, “We are not abandoning anybody.”
