Jet Set nightclub roof collapse in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, kills dozens

At least 58 people died and more than 150 were taken to hospitals for their injuries after a roof collapsed at a nightclub in the capital of the Dominican Republic early Tuesday, authorities said. Crews were searching for potential survivors in the rubble at Jet Set club in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations.

“We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,” he said.

He said teams were still working to determine the total number of people who were present at the scene at the time of the incident.

A specialized canine unit has been brought in to help search in critical, hard-to-reach areas, emergency officials said.

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse.

President Luis Abinader wrote on social media that all rescue agencies were “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.

Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims. She had called President 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.

“This is too great a tragedy,” Abraje said in a broken voice.

In a statement, Cruz’s family paid tribute to “her legacy of service and love for others.”

Retired Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel also died in the collapse, the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League confirmed in a statement. Dotel played for more than a dozen teams during his career, including the New York Mets and Yankees, Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, LA Dodgers, Colorado Rockies and Detroit Tigers, and helped lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series championship in 2011.

Merengue singer Rubby Pérez was performing when the roof collapsed, and his daughter said he was believed to be trapped, the AFP news agency reported.

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 was sudden. I thought it was an earthquake, so I threw myself to the ground and covered my head,” he said.

“We tried to get to the area where Rubby was but there was too much debris there,” he added. 

Pérez’s daugher Zulinka later said she had confirmation that her father was “alive,” though injured and still trapped in the debris.

Abinader arrived at the scene and hugged those looking for friends and family, some with tears streaming down their faces.

“We have faith in God that we will rescue even more people alive,” he told reporters.

At one hospital where the injured were taken, an official stood outside reading aloud the names of survivors as a crowd gathered around her and yelled out the names of their loved ones.

Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the concert but did not return home, was among those anxiously waiting outside the club known for its traditional parties held on Monday where renowned national and international artists perform.

“We’re holding on only to God,” Olivo said.

Also awaiting word was Massiel Cuevas, godmother of 22-year-old Darlenys Batista.

“I’m waiting for her. She’s in there, I know she’s in there,” Cuevas said, firm in her belief that Batista would be pulled out alive.

contributed to this report.