More than 50 people have died after the roof of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic’s capital, Santo Domingo, collapsed during a live music performance in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Shocking footage shared online captured the moment the Jet Set nightclub’s roof gave way during a concert by famed merengue singer Rubby Perez. At least 58 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 150 others have been hospitalized.
Among the victims were Octavio Dotel, a former Major League Baseball star, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province. Perez himself was trapped under the rubble, according to reports. Local media estimated that between 500 and 1,000 people were inside the club at the time of the collapse.
“It was so sudden. I thought it was an earthquake,” said Enrique Paulino, Perez’s manager. “I threw myself to the ground and covered my head. One of our saxophonists is dead. We tried to reach Rubby, but there was too much debris.”
Perez’s daughter, Zulinka, told reporters she escaped the collapse but her father remained trapped. She later confirmed he was alive but injured.
Dotel, 51, who had played for the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals, was pulled from the wreckage but later died from his injuries, according to General Juan Manuel Mendez, head of emergency operations. The Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League expressed its condolences on social media, mourning the loss of the World Series champion.
Rescue efforts continued through the day, with about 400 emergency personnel combing through the ruins, as trapped victims called for help. Dozens of ambulances rushed the injured to hospitals while anxious families gathered, desperate for news.
“We are desperate,” said Regina del Rosa, whose sister was at the concert. “They’re not giving us any information.”
Survivors described terrifying scenes. Iris Pena, who had attended the concert with her son, told SIN Television: “At one point, dirt started falling into our drinks. I asked security if the ground had shaken. Then a stone cracked the table we were sitting at, and we ran out. It felt like an earthquake or tsunami.”
Helicopter footage showed a gaping hole where the nightclub roof once stood. Heavy machinery, including cranes, was brought in to lift debris as workers in hard hats continued the search for survivors.
Authorities have called for blood donations to help the injured. “Our priority is to save lives,” Mendez said at the scene. President Luis Abinader echoed the sentiment upon visiting the site.
Jet Set nightclub, a Santo Domingo institution open for more than 50 years, had promoted Monday night’s event as a chance to enjoy Rubby Perez’s greatest hits. Following the tragedy, the club issued a statement pledging full cooperation with authorities and support for the victims.
The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, has the Caribbean’s largest economy. In 2024 alone, it welcomed over 11 million tourists, according to the country’s tourism ministry.