The first known lawsuit has been filed against the owners of a legendary nightclub whose roof collapsed and killed 231 people in the Dominican Republic.
The family of one victim sued Jet Set nightclub owner Antonio Espaillat and his mother, Ana Grecia López, along with the Dominican government and the Santo Domingo mayor’s office. It seeks unspecified damages from all and a criminal conviction for involuntary manslaughter against the owners.
The lawsuit was filed Monday by an attorney representing the widow and father of Virgilio Rafael Cruz Aponte.
A spokeswoman for the owners said they continue to cooperate with authorities.
On Monday, President Luis Abinader acknowledged there is no government agency responsible for supervising the construction of private businesses like the nightclub. He said the government is working on a bill to correct that.
It’s not clear what caused the roof to collapse early on April 8. Authorities have launched an investigation and created a technical team with local and international experts.