• By Nidhi Giri
  • Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:43 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

At least 98 people were killed and over 160 injured after the roof of Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic collapsed during a packed merengue concert in the early hours of Tuesday, Associated Press reported The event was attended by politicians, athletes and other prominent figures. Upon receiving the information, the rescue teams rushed to the spot and started looking for survivors. Firefighters were seen shattering rubble with drills and wooden planks to remove heavy concrete blocks.

Among the victims was Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northern Monte Cristi province, President Luis Abinader said. Cruz was the sister of former baseball player Nelson Cruz, a seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star. Former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco also died in the collapse, local authorities confirmed, as per Reuters. Dotel died en route to a local hospital after being pulled from the debris, a spokesman for the nation's sports ministry said. Dotel, 51, debuted for the New York Mets in 1999 and played until 2013 for more than a dozen teams including the Houston Astros, Oakland A's, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers.

Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, said that the crews were searching for potential survivors in the rubble at the one-storey Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo. “We continue clearing debris and searching for people," he said on Tuesday night. “We’re going to search tirelessly for people."

Méndez said rescue crews prioritised three areas in the club: “We’re hearing some sounds."

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The professional baseball league of the Dominican Republic confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel had passed away. Officials had rescued Dotel from the debris earlier and brought him to a hospital, but he did not make it. 

Relatives of merengue singer Rubby Pérez initially reported that he had been rescued after the nightclub roof collapse. However, Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, later clarified that Pérez was still missing and rescue crews were actively searching for him.

The club issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities and noted that the owner, Antonio Espaillat, was out of the country and returned late Tuesday.

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President Abinader wrote on X that all rescue agencies are “working tirelessly" to help those affected. “We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred," he wrote.

Abinader visited the nightclub collapse site, offering comfort to distraught families searching for loved ones. “We have faith in God that we will rescue even more people alive," he told reporters.

(With Agency Inputs)