WJE, Exponent, and Structures & Inspections Engineering identifies long-term structural degradation as the cause of the April 2025 tragedy
Cases like this one are a reminder that the absence of visible damage does not mean a structure is safe.””
SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, June 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- An independent forensic engineering report prepared by Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE), Exponent, and Structures & Inspections Engineering, PC has been formally released, presenting scientific findings on the structural failure that caused the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub on April 8, 2025 - a tragedy that claimed more than 200 lives and left hundreds injured.— Gabriel Carrera, PE, Principal, Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, Inc.
The report was prepared by court-appointed experts Gabriel Carrera, PE (WJE), Alfonso Ibárreta, Ph.D., PE, CFEI (Exponent), and José Lockhart, M.Sc., PE (Structures & Inspections Engineering), who led a team of more than 25 engineers, chemists, metallurgists, and materials scientists in the investigation of the collapse.
“Our investigation found that the most significant factors contributing to this collapse - construction defects and progressive deterioration of the post-tensioning system - were completely internal to the structural elements. No visual inspection would have revealed them. Cases like this one are a reminder that the absence of visible damage does not mean a structure is safe.”
- Gabriel Carrera, PE, Principal, Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, Inc.
Key Technical Findings
• The loads acting on the structure at the time of collapse were insufficient to cause a global failure in a properly built, undamaged structure - indicating that overloading was not the immediate cause.
• Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) inspection identified at least one beam with a misplaced post-tensioning duct, creating a significantly weaker structural element - a defect that remained hidden for decades after construction.
• Laboratory evaluation identified progressive deterioration of post-tensioning wires through hydrogen-assisted cracking - a mechanism that weakens wires and reduces load-bearing capacity over time.
• Both construction defects and ongoing deterioration were internal to the beams and would not have been identifiable through visual inspection.
• Layers of leveling material found on the roof indicate the beams were deflecting progressively over time, consistent with gradual, long-term structural weakening.
“Both the construction defects and the ongoing deterioration were internal to the beams and would not have been identifiable through visual inspection.” - Expert Report, Case No. 2025-0150267
The expert team concludes the collapse was caused, with the highest degree of technical probability, by the combined effect of construction defects and gradual progressive deterioration of post-tensioned tendon wires - a process that may have originated during the building’s original construction in 1973 and evolved over the following decades.
Relevance for Structural Safety
The Jet Set building was constructed in 1973 and operated for more than 50 years. The findings offer lessons for building owners, engineers, and regulators worldwide - particularly for aging structures built with post-tensioned concrete systems. The investigation underscores the need for advanced assessment methods capable of identifying internal deterioration not visible through conventional inspections.
Public Availability
The report has been made available to the public in the interest of transparency and informed technical debate. It was formally submitted to the Primer Juzgado de la Instrucción del Distrito Nacional on May 14, 2026, as part of the ongoing judicial proceedings related to the collapse (Case No. 2025-0150267, Honorable Judge Reymundo Ant. Mejía Zorrilla).
Legal proceedings remain ongoing. The purpose of this analysis is to contribute verifiable scientific evidence to the public record, with full respect for the victims, their families, and all those affected by this tragedy.
About JustaMedida
JustaMedida is an independent communications organization focused on the dissemination of technical and forensic information in matters of public significance. This press release is issued on behalf of the forensic engineering team that prepared the international technical analysis referenced herein. The report was prepared by court-appointed experts Gabriel Carrera, PE (Principal, WJE), Alfonso Ibárreta, Ph.D., PE, CFEI (Managing Engineer, Exponent), and José Lockhart, M.Sc., PE (Principal, Structures & Inspections Engineering, PC), who led a multidisciplinary team of over 25 specialists applying internationally recognized forensic engineering methodologies.
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