At least 98 people were killed and 160 injured when the roof of a famous nightclub in the Dominican capital fell early Tuesday during a merengue event that was attended by politicians, athletes, and others, according to police.
According to Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations, crews were looking through the debris at the one-story Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo for possible survivors.
Nearly 12 hours after the top of the nightclub collapsed onto patrons, rescue crews were still pulling out survivors from under the debris, shushing those around them so they could listen for faint cries for help.
Firefighters removed blocks of broken concrete and used sawed pieces of wood as planks to lift heavy debris as the noise of drills breaking through concrete filled the air.
Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the north-western province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims.
She had called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 a.m., saying she was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, first lady Raquel Abraje told reporters. Officials said Cruz died later at the hospital.
The Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic posted on X that former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, also died.
Officials had pulled Dotel from the debris earlier and brought him to a hospital.
Also killed was Dominican baseball player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, said league spokesman Satosky Terrero.
Officials said at least 160 people were injured, among them national lawmaker Bray Vargas.
Relatives of merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, initially said that he had been rescued, but Méndez said later Tuesday that wasn’t true. He said rescue crews were still looking for Pérez.
Pérez’s manager, Enrique Paulino, whose shirt was spattered with blood, told reporters at the scene that the concert began shortly before midnight, with the roof collapsing almost an hour later, killing the group’s saxophonist.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse or when the Jet Set building was last inspected.
The club issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities and noted that the owner, Antonio Espaillat, was out of the country and returned late Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Public Works referred questions to the mayor’s office. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office did not respond to a message for comment.
President Abinader wrote on X that all rescue agencies are “working tirelessly” to help those affected.
“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred,” he wrote.
