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At least 98 people have died and over 150 others were injured after the roof of a nightclub collapsed in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, according to officials.
Among the victims were a provincial governor and former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, who succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the hospital.
The collapse occurred in the early hours of Tuesday during a concert by popular merengue artist Rubby Pérez at the Jet Set nightclub. Pérez was also confirmed dead by his manager.
The venue was packed with hundreds of attendees at the time of the incident. Around 400 rescuers remain on site, continuing efforts to locate survivors amid fears that the death toll may rise.
Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Centre (COE), expressed hope that many of those still trapped beneath the collapsed roof could be found alive.
Jet Set, a well-known nightclub in Santo Domingo, is popular for its Monday night dance music events and regularly draws politicians, athletes, and other public figures. Several notable individuals were present when the collapse occurred.
Among the confirmed victims was Nelsy Cruz, governor of Monte Cristi province and sister of former Major League Baseball star Nelson Cruz, President Luis Abinader announced.
Octavio Dotel, another victim, began his MLB career with the New York Mets in 1999 and went on to play for teams including the Houston Astros, Oakland A’s, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Detroit Tigers before retiring in 2013.
Footage believed to have been recorded inside the nightclub shows people seated at tables near the stage and others dancing as Rubby Pérez performed. In a separate mobile phone video circulating on social media, a man near the stage points toward the ceiling and says, “something fell from the ceiling.” Pérez is seen glancing in the same direction. Less than 30 seconds later, a loud noise is heard, the screen goes black, and a woman is heard screaming, “Dad, what’s happened to you?”
One of Pérez’s band members told local media that the venue was packed when the roof gave way around 1 a.m. “I thought it was an earthquake,” he recalled.
Rubby Pérez’s daughter later confirmed that her father had been among those trapped in the wreckage.
President Abinader has extended his condolences to the victims’ families and all those affected by the tragedy.
