The roof of Santo Domingo’s famous Jet Set nightclub collapsed early Tuesday morning, turning a night intended for music and celebration into a tragic event that left at least 98 people dead and 150 injured, according to authorities.
High-profile events are frequently held at this well-liked location, which is a landmark in Dominican nightlife. Politicians, athletes, and local celebrities were among the many people there when a boisterous merengue concert broke out early on Tuesday morning. Dozens were buried beneath concrete and debris when the structure collapsed shortly before one in the morning.
The roof abruptly collapsed during the performance, which included well-known merengue singer Rubby Pérez as the main act. Pérez was one of the people who died in the accident, according to confirmation from his manager. The BBC reports that at least 98 people have died and over 150 others have been injured.
Former Major League Baseball players passed away
Two prominent former Major League Baseball players are among the deceased: Tony Blanco, a former infielder for the Washington Nationals, and Octavio Dotel, a 51-year-old pitcher. The Dominican Republic’s Professional Baseball League stated on X that Dotel passed away from his injuries after being rescued from the wreckage and taken to the hospital.
During his career, Dotel played for 13 different Major League Baseball teams, setting a record at the time. His longest stint was with the Houston Astros from 2000 to 2004.
When he assisted the St. Louis Cardinals in winning a World Series in 2011, his career reached its zenith. In 2013, he concluded his major league career with the Detroit Tigers. At his best, Dotel was regarded as one of the league’s best bullpen pitchers due to his ability to rack up strikeouts.
In his reflection on Octavio Dotel’s legacy, veteran Mets commentator Gary Cohen stated, “Everyone who ever met Octavio loved him,” during Tuesday afternoon’s Mets-Marlins broadcast.
Dotel had a difficult journey to the major leagues. He had to deal with severe personal adversity, such as the untimely death of his father in a robbery. He turned to baseball as an escape and a means of coping with his loss.
“Going to the ballpark and thinking about him all the time will not help me,” Dotel said. “All I need to do is keep playing hard to achieve my goals. Because I’m here, I believe God is helping me. Thank you, and I’m here. If my father were still alive, I would appreciate it more, but everyone must pass away.
According to league spokesman Satosky Terrero, former Washington Nationals player Tony Blanco, whose full name was Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, was also among those who unfortunately perished in the collapse.
continued to hear noises
The nation is also grieving the loss of Nelsy Cruz, the sister of MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz and the governor of Montecristi province, who also perished in the collapse.
At 12:49 a.m., Cruz was able to call President Luis Abinader from within the nightclub to report that the roof had collapsed and she was trapped, according to First Lady Raquel Arbaje. Officials verified to the Associated Press that she later passed away at the hospital.
The Center for Emergency Operations’ director, Juan Manuel Méndez, stated that search and rescue operations went on continuously all day.
On April 8, Méndez declared, “We are still removing debris and looking for people.”
“We’re going to keep looking for people.”
Rescue workers continued removing survivors from the debris for 12 hours after the fall, despite the risks. While some firefighters lifted debris with bare hands and wooden planks, others used drills to cut through concrete.
Mendez expressed optimism that more survivors would be located by stating, “We’re hearing some sounds.”
Video captured within the nightclub
At the scene, Rubby Pérez’s manager, Enrique Paulino, spoke to reporters while wearing a blood-stained shirt. He disclosed that the group’s saxophonist was killed when the roof collapsed less than an hour after the event began just before midnight.
Inside the nightclub, video shows patrons dancing in the rear while singer Rubby Pérez plays, while others are seated at tables close to the stage.
A man standing near the stage can be heard stating, “something fell from the ceiling,” as he gestures toward the roof in another video that was captured on a cell phone and posted on social media. Rubby Pérez seems to be responding to the disturbance by looking in the same direction.
A loud bang is heard less than 30 seconds later, and then the screen suddenly becomes black. At that point, a woman can be heard yelling, “Dad, what happened to you?”
One of Pérez’s fellow musicians claims that the place was full when the ceiling collapsed. The artist told local media that the incident happened “around 1am” and that “I thought it was an earthquake.”
We mourn the passing of Octavio Dotel.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy in the Dominican Republic. pic.twitter.com/UZk88QiBoA
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 8, 2025
The cause of the fall is being thoroughly investigated by authorities. When the building was last assessed and whether structural warnings had been disregarded are still unknown.