A night of music and celebration turned to horror in Santo Domingo when the roof of the popular Jet Set nightclub suddenly collapsed during a performance by merengue star Rubby Pérez. The catastrophic incident has claimed at least 113 lives and left more than 255 injured in what’s being called one of the worst structural disasters in Dominican Republic history.
Among the victims were several prominent figures, including former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who played for numerous teams including the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, and fellow baseball player Tony Blanco. The tragedy also took the life of Monte Cristi province governor Nelsy Cruz, sister of baseball superstar Nelson Cruz, who reportedly called the country’s president from beneath the wreckage before passing away.
Rescue teams continue working around the clock searching for survivors as investigators try to determine what caused the building to fail. Club owner Antonio Espaillat has pledged full cooperation with authorities as the nation begins three days of official mourning for the lives lost in this unimaginable tragedy.
