At least 113 people have been confirmed dead and more than 150 others injured after the roof of a nightclub collapsed in the Dominican Republic’s capital, Santo Domingo.
Authorities say the tragedy occurred in the early hours of Tuesday during a live performance by famed merengue singer Rubby Pérez at the popular Jet Set nightclub. His manager confirmed that the singer was among the deceased.
The death toll includes several high-profile individuals, among them Octavio Dotel, a former Major League Baseball pitcher, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Monte Cristi province.
Dotel, 51, was pulled from the rubble alive but succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. President Luis Abinader confirmed Cruz’s death, noting she was the sister of MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz.
The collapse has triggered a massive rescue operation. More than 400 emergency responders have been deployed to the scene, searching for survivors amid the debris. Authorities fear the number of casualties may rise as the search continues.
“I thought it was an earthquake,” said one of Rubby Pérez’s band members, speaking to local media. He described the venue as packed when the incident occurred “at around 1am.”
The Jet Set nightclub is a well-known venue in Santo Domingo, popular for its Monday night dance music concerts. The event had drawn a large crowd, including politicians, athletes, and other prominent public figures.
Footage captured inside the venue moments before the collapse showed people seated at tables near the stage while others danced to the music. In one mobile phone video circulating online, a man standing close to the stage can be heard saying, “something fell from the ceiling,” as he points upward.
Rubby Pérez appears to glance toward the area of concern. Less than 30 seconds later, a loud noise is heard, the screen goes black, and a panicked voice shouts, “Dad, what’s happened to you?”
Pérez’s daughter confirmed that her father had been among those trapped under the collapsed roof.
“I was hopeful that many of those buried under the collapsed roof were still alive,” said Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Centre (COE).
Outside the nightclub, scenes of grief and anguish played out as people embraced one another and waited for news of loved ones. Images show crowds gathered near the scene, some in tears, as rescuers continued their work.
President Abinader expressed deep condolences to the victims’ families, calling the incident a national tragedy.
Dotel, who launched his MLB career with the New York Mets in 1999, went on to play for teams including the Houston Astros, Oakland A’s, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Detroit Tigers, retiring in 2013.
As rescue efforts continue, the Dominican Republic mourns one of the deadliest peacetime disasters in its recent history. Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the collapse, but investigations are underway.
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