Emergency officials scramble to identify 184 victims of Dominican Republic nightclub disaster

The death toll from a roof collapse at an iconic nightclub in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, has surged to 184.

With hopes of finding potential survivors fading, dozens of people lingered outside the Dominican Republic’s forensic institute for news of their loved ones.

Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations, said crews at the scene were still looking for victims and potential survivors, although no one has been found alive since Tuesday afternoon.

“We’re not going to abandon anyone. Our work will continue,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, officials from the National Institute of Forensic Pathology read the names of 54 victims they had identified so far.

“We cannot wait until nighttime!” said one woman who was waiting for news of a relative whose name she did not hear. “We’re going to go crazy!”

Rescue teams called for calm, saying they had already delivered at least 28 bodies to their families but did not yet have a tally of all the bodies recovered.

Shortly after, authorities raised the number of dead to at least 184, with more than 200 injured.

“The authorities are selling us false dreams!” cried out José Sánchez, whose brother and brother-in-law were still missing.

The Jet Set club in Santo Domingo, which has operated for nearly five decades, was packed with musicians, professional athletes, and government officials when dust began falling from the ceiling and into people’s drinks early Tuesday.

The entire roof collapsed right afterwards, with concrete slabs killing some instantly and trapping dozens on the dance floor, where hundreds had been dancing to a lively merengue concert.

More than 100 calls, many from persons buried beneath debris, were placed to the nation's 911