At least 113 die after nightclub collapses in Dominican Republic

At least 113 people have been confirmed dead and more than 150 others injured after the roof of a popular nightclub collapsed during a live concert in the Dominican Republic’s capital, authorities said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning at Jet Set nightclub, located in Santo Domingo, where hundreds had gathered to watch a performance by renowned merengue singer Rubby Pérez. His manager confirmed that Pérez was among those who died in the collapse.

A provincial governor and former Major League Baseball pitcher, Octavio Dotel, was also among the victims. Dotel, 51, was reportedly pulled from the debris but died while being transported to the hospital.

Emergency officials said that around 400 rescue workers remain at the scene, combing through the rubble in search of survivors. 

“Something fell from the ceiling,” a man near the stage is heard saying in a mobile phone recording taken moments before the collapse, which has since circulated on social media.

In another video, Rubby Pérez is seen performing on stage as people sit at tables and dance near the back of the venue. Less than 30 seconds after the warning, a loud crash is heard and the footage goes dark, followed by a woman screaming, “Dad, what’s happened to you?”

The director of the Emergency Operations Centre (COE), Juan Manuel Méndez, expressed optimism that more survivors could still be pulled from the wreckage. 

According to the BBC, Jet Set nightclub is known for its Monday night dance music concerts and regularly draws a crowd that includes prominent figures from politics and sports.

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President Luis Abinader confirmed the death of Nelsy Cruz, governor of Monte Cristi province, who was also present at the concert. Cruz was the sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz, a seven-time All-Star. The president has offered his condolences to the families affected by the tragedy.

Dotel, a major figure in Dominican baseball history, began his career with the New York Mets in 1999 and went on to play for teams, including the Houston Astros, Oakland A’s, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Detroit Tigers before retiring in 2013.

One of Rubby Pérez’s band members described the moment the structure came down. “I thought it was an earthquake,” he told local media, explaining that the venue had been full at the time. Pérez’s daughter also confirmed that her father was trapped in the debris before his death.

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