According to police, a nightclub’s roof collapsed in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, leaving at least 98 people dead and over 150 injured.
Among the victims were former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel and a local governor. Dotel, 51, was dragged from the wreckage and died en route to the hospital.
The incident took place at the Jet Set nightclub early on Tuesday during a performance by well-known merengue artist Rubby Pérez. According to his manager, he was one among the people slain in the tragedy.
Approximately 400 rescuers are still looking for survivors, and hundreds of people were inside the arena. There are concerns that the number of fatalities will increase.
Juan Manuel Méndez, the head of the Emergency Operations Centre (COE), expressed optimism that many of the people buried beneath the fallen roof were still alive.
On Monday nights, Santo Domingo’s well-known nightclub Jet Set frequently holds dance music performances. Prominent individuals, including politicians and athletes, were present.
According to President Luis Abinader, Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the province of Monte Cristi, was also one of the victims. Nelson Cruz, a former baseball player and seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star, was her sister.
In contrast, Dotel started with the New York Mets in 1999 and played for the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Oakland A’s, New York Yankees, and Chicago White Sox until 2013.
President Abinader has expressed his condolences to the families affected.
