Tension in the trial for the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub roof
A day filled with tension was experienced this Friday in the Second Criminal Chamber of the National District during the trial on the merits regarding the collapse of the roof of the Jet Set nightclub. The proceedings were interrupted by a heated verbal exchange that forced the magistrates to order an immediate recess.
The incident arose during the cross-examination of engineer Leonardo Reyes Madera, director of the National Office for Seismic Assessment and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie), who is appearing as a technical expert presented by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The origin of the conflict
The discord began when lawyer Jorge Luis Polanco, part of the defense for siblings Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, questioned the methodology used by the expert when analyzing a key photograph from the technical report. The attorney cast doubt on the correspondence between the beams observed in the image and those identified during the field survey.
The exchange of words raised the temperature in the courtroom, provoking audible reactions among the victims’ relatives present there, which forced the court to intervene and order a five-minute break to restore order.
Expert appraisal details
During his deposition, Reyes Madera has maintained a technical stance regarding the causes of the incident. According to the expert report presented to the court, the collapse of the roof was the direct result of significant structural overloading.
- The accumulated weight on the structure notably exceeded the capacity for which it was originally designed.
- The expert has been emphatic in pointing out that this excess load was the determining factor that caused the catastrophic failure.
- Reyes Madera remained on the sidelines of the altercation, keeping silent while the lawyers debated the points of the report.
The trial continues to advance in the capital’s courts, where the aim is to establish criminal liability regarding this case that has kept public opinion attentive to the technical findings on the safety of buildings in the country.
