Former MLB champion Octavio Dotel is missing after a catastrophic nightclub ceiling collapse in the Dominican Republic that killed at least 18 people and injured over 121 others. The tragedy occurred during a merengue concert at Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, where emergency crews continue desperate rescue operations. Government officials confirmed that the sister of former baseball star Nelson Cruz is among the dead, raising urgent questions about building safety enforcement in popular entertainment venues.
Dominican Nightclub Disaster Claims Multiple Lives
The ceiling at Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo suddenly collapsed during a performance by popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez, trapping hundreds of concertgoers under the debris. Witnesses reported noticing problems with the ceiling shortly before the devastating collapse, which sent the crowded venue into chaos as patrons attempted to escape.
🚨🔴Tragedy Strikes Dominican Republic 🇩🇴 ‼️ Over 30 Dead After Roof Collapses at Jet Set Club Concert – More Than 60 Still Trapped, Including Singer Ruby Pérez and Crew. #JetSet
pic.twitter.com/5GKDJrQE6k— Puspender Singh (@puspendersaini8) April 8, 2025
Emergency responders have confirmed at least 18 deaths, including Nelsy Cruz, governor of Montecristi province and sister of former MLB player Nelson Cruz. First responders continued searching through the rubble, with some paramedics providing emergency medical treatment to victims still trapped inside the collapsed structure.
MLB Star Among Those Unaccounted For
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel, who won a World Series championship with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, remains missing following the disaster. Dotel, 50, was reportedly attending the concert when the ceiling collapsed, adding a prominent name to the list of those unaccounted for as rescue efforts continue.
🏗️Lots of debris! Members of various rescue organizations are clearing debris & rescuing people after the roof of the #JetSet_nightclub collapsed in the early hours of the morning during a party hosted by merengue singer Rubby Pérez. https://t.co/Q8Y5hE1P2b
So far, the Emergency… pic.twitter.com/knl2O04Y8P— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) April 8, 2025
Merengue star Rubby Pérez was rescued from the rubble with serious injuries and is among the 121 people hospitalized following the incident. His daughter, Zulinka Pérez, escaped the collapse after her father urged her to leave moments before the structure failed.
Rescue Operations Continue Amid Structural Concerns
Emergency Operations Center director Juan Manuel Mendez emphasized the urgency of ongoing rescue efforts at the venue, which has a reported capacity of 1,000 people. Authorities have mobilized significant resources to locate survivors, with specialized teams working through the night to reach those trapped beneath the debris.
“That is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble.”
The collapse has raised serious questions about building code enforcement and structural safety inspections in the Dominican Republic’s entertainment venues. President Luis Abinader has called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse and the potential negligence in maintaining the building’s structural integrity.
Zulinka Pérez recounted her father’s lifesaving warning moments before the disaster: “He told me, ‘Babe, get out so the child won’t be alone if this whole thing falls.’ I crawled out.” Her testimony highlights the chaotic scene as patrons tried to escape the failing structure.
The nightclub tragedy represents one of the Dominican Republic’s deadliest structural failures in recent years, prompting calls for stricter building inspections nationwide. Local officials have pledged to hold responsible parties accountable as victims’ families demand answers about how such a catastrophic failure could occur at a popular entertainment venue.