Miguel Marte, director of Civil Defense for Santo Domingo North, was one of the first responders at the scene of the roof collapse of JetSet Club at 12:45am on 8 April 2025 during the concert by Rubby Perez. He worked in the rescue operations in the stage area and found the corpse of merengue singer Rubby Perez. Many rumors had circulated that Perez had survived the collapse of the roof and was singing to help the responders find and rescue him. There were stories he had been taken to the hospital. This was not true.
Marte explains how he found the body of Rubby Perez. He says in the process, he helped rescue the corpses of six or seven who were removed from under the debris in the area of the stage for the orchestra, yet he kept looking for the body of Rubby Perez. He says the work was very dangerous because of the vulnerability of being hit by a concrete beam and other debris.
He worked until he was able to find the body of Rubby Perez who he identified because of his shiny black shoe, the microphone and the characteristic eyeglasses. Marte said that Perez was still wearing the glasses when he found him. He delivered the eyeglasses to a brother of Rubby Perez. He says he detected a suspected shoe at 11:49 pm of Tuesday, 8 April 2025. He worked with an unnamed fireman. The moments were photographed by a relative of Perez who was at the scene.
When asked if Perez had died instantly, Marte said yes. He explained Perez was trapped on the stage by the falling debris. He said Perez’s body was doubled over by the rubble. “We risked ourselves to rescue the body, and avoid his face being smashed. “Given the conditions, there was no way he could have survived the blow,” said the first responder.
For Marte, it was the first time he had worked in such trying circumstances. He says those who volunteer for this service have to have love and empathy. “It is difficult to lose a relative. The day before, I was giving the last goodbye to my grandfather. I already carried the sorrow. Seeing so many people were impacted, I worked hard to give answers to so many relatives,” he said.
He denied that there was pilfering with the bodies all the time he was at the scene. He said that the wallets, and cell phones were deposited in bags. He said the representatives of the prosecutors, police, army were supervising and diligent in preserving the items of the victims.
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El Nuevo Diario TV
16 April 2025