Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – at least 79 people died and 160 others were injured in the Dominican capital on Tuesday when the roof collapsed in an emblematic nightclub where politicians, athletes and others attended a Merengue concert, the authorities announced.
The crews were looking for potential survivors in the rubble of the Jet on one floor box in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the emergency operations center.
“We assume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until one person remains under these rubble,” he said.
(READ: Here is a look back on the career of Octavio Dotel – Braves Pitcher killed in the roof of the nightclub))
Almost 12 hours after the top of the nightclub collapsed on customers, the rescue teams still withdrew outlords from the debris. On the scene, the firefighters removed broken concrete blocks and sawn wood planks to use them as boards to lift heavy debris while the noise of exercises that break through concrete filled the air.
The number of confirmed deaths had reached 58 years, said Méndez in the late afternoon. Earlier, officials said there had been at least 160 people injured.
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Nelsy Cruz, governor of the northwest province of Montecristi and sister of the seven times more base in the major baseball league, Nelson Cruz, was among the victims. She had called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 p.m. saying that she was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, said First Lady Raquel Abraje. Officials said Cruz died later in the hospital.
“It’s too big tragedy,” said Abraje in a broken voice.
The Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic posted on X that the MLB Octavio Dotel launcher died. Officials had previously saved Dotel from debris and transported him to hospital.
The Braves of Atlanta published a statement on Tuesday evening, saying:
“We join the baseball community to cry the death of the former Braves launcher, Octavio Dotel. Our thoughts go to his family and friends, as well as to all the people affected by the tragedy in the Dominican Republic. ”
We join the baseball community to cry the death of the former Braves launcher, Octavio Dotel.
Our thoughts go to his family and friends, as well as to all the people affected by the tragedy in the Dominican Republic. pic.twitter.com/8bd2b3i8nu
– Atlanta Braves (@braves) April 8, 2025
Meanwhile, the injured include the legislator Bray Vargas and the singer of Merengue, Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, officials said.
His manager, Enrique Paulino, whose shirt has been splashed with blood, told journalists at the scene that the concert started shortly before midnight, the roof collapsed almost an hour later, killing the group’s saxophonist.
“It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner,” he said, adding that he was originally thinking that it was an earthquake.
It was not immediately clear which caused the roof collapse.
Jet Set published a statement saying that she was cooperating with the authorities. “The loss of human life leaves us in a state of deep pain and dismay,” he said.
It was not clear when the Jet Set building was inspected for the last time.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works told the Associated Press that all civil servants were on the scene and not immediately available. She returned questions to the mayor’s office. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office could not be immediately joined to comment.
Prosecutor Rosalba Ramos told the CDN television station that even if “everyone wants to know” what happened, the authorities were still focused on the search for survivors.
Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the concert but did not return home, was one of those who were looking forward to the club known for his traditional parties held on Monday where renowned national and international artists occur.
“We only want to God,” said Olivo.
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President Abinader wrote on X that all rescue agencies “work tirelessly” to help people affected.
“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred in the jet nightclub. We have been following the minute incident since it occurred,” he wrote.
Abinader arrived at the scene and has embarked on those looking for friends and family, some with tears flowing on their faces.
“We trust God that we will save even more living people,” he told journalists.
A manager with a megaphone was standing outside the club imploring the big crowd that had gathered to search for friends and parents to give ambulances.
“You have to cooperate with the authorities, please,” he said. “We delete people.”
In a hospital where the wounded were taken, an official stood outside by reading the names of the survivors aloud as a crowd gathered around her and shouted the names of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, dozens of people gathered at the National Institute of Medico-Legal Pathology, which projects photos of the victims so that their loved ones can identify them.
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