A devastating incident occurred in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as a nightclub roof collapsed, killing at least 98 people and injuring over 150. The tragic event took place during a concert by popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez at the Jet Set nightclub in the early hours of Tuesday.
Among the victims was former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel. He died after being pulled from the debris. Dotel, 51, passed away on his way to the hospital. Many people were inside the club when the roof suddenly fell. Around 400 rescuers continue searching for survivors. The authorities remain hopeful that some victims are still alive.
Jet Set nightclub is well-known for hosting dance music events, especially on Monday nights. Politicians, athletes, and other prominent figures were at the venue when the collapse occurred. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Monte Cristi province, was also among the victims. She was the sister of former baseball player Nelson Cruz.
A video taken before the incident shows people seated at tables, enjoying the concert. One recording shows a man saying, “something fell from the ceiling.” Seconds later, a loud noise is heard, followed by the video turning black. A woman’s voice is heard shouting, “Dad, what’s happened to you?”
Rubby Pérez’s daughter revealed that her father was trapped under the debris. One of Pérez’s band members mentioned that the collapse happened around 1 AM. He thought it was an earthquake at first.
President Luis Abinader expressed his condolences to the families affected by the incident.
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