Prosecution reveals that Jet Set exceeded permitted capacity and lacked adequate emergency exits

Santo Domingo.– The Jet Set nightclub was operating on the night of the collapse with a number of people far exceeding its legal capacity, which hindered the evacuation and multiplied the number of fatalities, according to the Public Ministry in its request for a coercive measure against its owners, Antonio Espaillat and Maribel Espaillat de Veras.

The legal document, delivered this Saturday to the Permanent Attention Office of the National District, indicates that the establishment had a permit that limited the capacity to 650 people, but on April 8th there were at least 900 attendees inside the premises.

“The defendants allowed the entry of a number of people far exceeding the authorized one, violating safety regulations, which prevented an effective evacuation at the time of the collapse,” the accusation states.

In addition to overcrowding, the nightclub lacked efficient escape routes. “The emergency exits were obstructed or not properly marked, which caused many people to be trapped under the rubble without the possibility of immediate assistance,” underlines the Public Ministry.

These elements are part of the set of evidence supporting the request for pre-trial detention against Antonio Espaillat, as well as house arrest and other restrictive measures against Maribel Espaillat, who face charges of involuntary manslaughter, criminal negligence, and violations of the structural safety law.