Nightclub Tragedy: Survivor Recalls Harrowing Moments After Ceiling Collapse

In the early morning of Tuesday, Carwin Javie Molleja and his mother experienced a life-altering tragedy when a ceiling collapse at their celebratory concert led to a staggering number of casualties.

At 1:00 AM on Tuesday, Carwin Javie Molleja was sharing a long-awaited reunion dance with his mother, Carmin, at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo. Little did they know, their joyful night was about to turn into a nightmare. Moments after a small object dropped from the ceiling, the entire structure collapsed, leading to chaos and devastation.

With 218 people reported dead, including the well-known merengue singer Rubby Pérez, the tragedy struck during what was intended to be a festive celebration. Carwin, a percussionist who had relocated to the Dominican Republic eight years prior, initially dismissed the falling debris, but within seconds, disaster ensued.

He vividly remembers the overwhelming sounds of panic; the screams of those around him, including that of his mother who quickly called out for him, as Carwin instinctively hugged her to protect them both. Despite being injured by falling debris, they managed to escape but soon faced an agonizing choice when two of Carwin's friends became trapped within the wreckage.

After initially fleeing to safety, Carwin attempted to return to rescuing his friends, shouting their names into the terrifying darkness inside the club. With no response, he felt a deep sense of helplessness. "The stones were huge. I felt useless," he lamented after witnessing the unfolding chaos. Despite the arrival of emergency services, he stayed for an hour and a half without seeing any machinery to help clear the debris.

At that moment of collective distress, Carwin continued his search for Jessica, one of his missing friends, frequently attempting to contact her but faced with disappointment as calls went unanswered. Eventually, he learned that her body, along with her sister's, had been found among the rubble, leaving him with a profound sense of regret for not being able to aid her.

The sense of despair following the incident has enveloped the community as the death toll continues to rise, with survivors grappling not only with their own injuries but also with the heavy losses incurred. The emotional toll of the nightclub disaster remains, as families seek closure amid sudden grief.