Owner of Dominican club whose roof collapsed and killed 236 arrested

Antonio Espaillat, the owner of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic was arrested on Thursday along with his sister, Maribel Espaillat

The owner of an iconic nightclub in the Dominican Republic whose roof collapsed in April and killed 236 people was arrested on Thursday along with his sister.

Antonio Espaillat and Maribel Espaillat have not been charged in the case, although authorities have 48 hours to present any charges before a judge.

"Both defendants displayed immense irresponsibility and negligence by failing to physically intervene to prevent the club's roof from collapsing, as it ultimately did, causing 236 deaths and more than 180 injuries," the Dominican Republic's Attorney General's Office said in a statement. 

 

Prosecutors accused the Espaillats of trying to intimidate or manipulate company employees, adding that they could serve as witnesses in the case.

An attorney for the Espaillats could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Espaillats were arrested after being interrogated for several hours.

A government-appointed committee that includes international experts is still investigating what caused the roof to collapse.

Crews worked for 53 hours nonstop after arriving on the scene in Santo Domingo shortly after midnight on April 8, rescuing 189 survivors. 

 

The victims included beloved singer Rubby Prez, who was performing when the roof caved in, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz.

Also killed was former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who was pulled from the debris but died at a hospital, and Dominican baseball player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera.

Other victims include a retired UN official, New York-based fashion designer Martn Polanco, an Army captain who left behind four young girls, and three employees at Grupo Popular, a financial services company, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife.

The club, which had operated for nearly five decades, was known for its Monday night merengue parties that attracted international celebrities and high-profile Dominicans.