At least 98 people have been killed, and more than 150 injured after the roof of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic’s capital, Santo Domingo, collapsed early Tuesday morning, officials reported.
Among the victims were provincial governor Nelsy Cruz and former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel. Dotel, 51, passed away on the way to the hospital after being pulled from the debris. Cruz, the governor of Monte Cristi province, was also confirmed dead. She was the sister of former MLB player Nelson Cruz, a seven-time All-Star.
The incident occurred during a concert by popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez at the Jet Set nightclub. Hundreds of people were inside when the roof collapsed, trapping many under the rubble. The number of casualties is expected to rise as rescue operations continue. About 400 rescuers are still on the scene, searching for survivors, and the director of the Emergency Operations Centre (COE), Juan Manuel Méndez, expressed hope that many of those buried could still be alive.
Videos taken inside the nightclub show people sitting at tables and dancing as Rubby Pérez performed. In one video, a man points to the ceiling and mentions something falling from above, followed by a loud noise and the recording cutting off abruptly. One of Pérez’s band members described the event as happening “around 1 am,” recalling that the crowd thought it was an earthquake when the collapse occurred.
Jet Set is a popular venue in Santo Domingo known for hosting dance music concerts, especially on Monday nights. The club attracts various politicians, athletes, and public figures.
President Luis Abinader has expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and promised support for those affected by the tragedy.
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