As tragic as this event was it hopefully serves a purpose.
There is construction going on everywhere in DR, be it new structures or remodels. And the majority are not supervised by qualified engineers.
It seems certain the roof was not designed to span the nightclub with the loads it carried or the construction was so poor that it didn't follow normal standards.
Maybe the DR will actually require engineers to inspect construction not just 'maestros' who have little structural knowledge.
Post #7 and #8 note that’s the internal structure of the building was changed and it experienced a fire in 2023. The removal of internal structural pillars and the weakening of concrete blocks and mortar by exposure to fires would have seriously compromised the structural integrity of the building. Basically creating a time bomb waiting to go off.
It will be interesting to see if the investigation points the finger at those two possible causes. I doubt if they will come up with one specific cause. One thing for sure, the DR media will remain in hyperdrive because of the loss of the high profile citizens and the high total number of deaths. This is not going away quickly. All media outlets in Canada are still covering the disaster.
Chico, your suggestion is a good one, but it will cost more money and time to correct problems found by engineers during the construction phases. Contractors don’t like spending extra money and time and we know there are standards but not all contractors adhere to them. I don’t think the change you suggest would be implemented.
One thing I would question is, given that the DR is situated in an earthquake zone, was the building constructed to cope with quakes? I know a quake didn’t occur when it collapsed but even small tremors over time would weaken the structure to the point where collapse was inevitable. Especially if internal support structures were removed to create a more open space.