Rescue efforts continued into early Wednesday as emergency teams scoured debris in search of survivors following the catastrophic collapse of a nightclub roof in Santo Domingo, which claimed the lives of at least 98 people during a concert by famed merengue artist Rubby Perez.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight on Tuesday at the popular Jet Set nightclub, a longtime entertainment venue in the capital. Eyewitnesses reported a sudden blackout moments before the roof gave way, sending concrete, steel, and tin sheeting crashing onto hundreds of guests.
Rubby Perez, who was performing at the time of the disaster, was confirmed dead by his manager, Enrique Paulino. “We are waiting for the children to reach an agreement for the funeral,” Paulino told AFP.
Authorities said the venue was packed with between 500 and 1,000 people at the time—despite its seating capacity for 700 and standing room for around 1,000. As of early Wednesday, hopes of finding more survivors had begun to dim, with rescue operations shifting largely to body recovery.
Among the dead was former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, a World Series champion with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. He was pulled alive from the rubble but succumbed to his injuries en route to the hospital, local media reported.
Tributes poured in across the country and beyond. The Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League paid homage online, while Citi Field in New York lit up with a black-and-white image of Dotel and the national flag prior to Tuesday’s game between the Mets and Marlins.
President Luis Abinader visited the scene of the tragedy and declared three days of national mourning. In a statement, he confirmed that Nelsy Cruz, governor of Monte Cristi municipality, was also among the victims.
Emergency services deployed 370 personnel to comb through the wreckage. Helicopter footage revealed a gaping hole where the roof once stood. A crane and rescue teams equipped with helmets and shovels worked tirelessly through the rubble.
Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the country’s Emergency Operations Center, said the death toll began at 15 but surged throughout Tuesday. “As long as there is hope for life, all authorities will be working to recover or rescue these people,” he stated.
Scenes of anguish unfolded outside hospitals, where families gathered in search of missing loved ones. “We are desperate,” said Regina del Rosa, whose sister was at the concert. “They are not giving us news, they are not telling us anything.”
One survivor, Iris Peña, described the moment of collapse to SIN television. “At one point, dirt started falling into the drinks. Then a stone cracked the table, and we ran,” she said. “The impact was so strong, like a tsunami or an earthquake.”
Perez’s daughter, Zulinka, said she managed to escape but her father did not.
Authorities have called on the public to donate blood as hospitals struggle to cope with the influx of injured victims.
Jet Set, which has operated for over five decades, typically hosts live performances every Monday. In its final Instagram post before the disaster, the nightclub invited fans to enjoy “his (Perez’s) greatest hits and dance in the country’s best nightclub.” In the aftermath, the club issued a statement pledging to cooperate “fully and transparently” with investigators.
The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, welcomed more than 11 million tourists in 2024. Nightlife, music, and vibrant cultural experiences remain major draws—now overshadowed by one of the country’s deadliest public tragedies in recent memory.
