Among the victims of the Dominican Republic nightclub collapse were former baseball players.
\n Santo Domingo
\nA devastating roof collapse at a popular nightclub in the capital, Santo Domingo, has left at least 98 dead and more than 150 injured, officials have confirmed.
\nThe tragedy struck in the early hours of Tuesday during a concert by famed merengue singer Rubby P\u00e9rez at the Jet Set nightclub.
\nThe incident, which occurred around 1 a.m., caused panic as the roof collapsed while hundreds of people were inside the venue.
\nAmong those confirmed dead were former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Monte Cristi province. Dotel was pulled from the debris but died on the way to the hospital. Cruz, the sister of former baseball star Nelson Cruz, was also among the victims.
\nRescue workers have been working to search for survivors, with around 400 responders on-site.
\nVideo footage from inside the club shows people dancing and sitting at tables just before the collapse. In one recording, a man can be heard saying, \u201csomething fell from the ceiling,\u201d followed by a loud crash and screams of panic as the roof gave way.
\nLocal authorities are hopeful that more survivors may be found under the rubble, but fears remain that the death toll will continue to rise as the search continues.
\n\u201cI thought it was an earthquake,\u201d one of Rubby P\u00e9rez\u2019s band members said, recalling the moment of collapse.
\nThe nightclub, a popular venue for dance music concerts, was packed with both locals and notable figures, including politicians and athletes.
\nIn a heartbreaking statement, President Luis Abinader expressed his condolences to the victims\u2019 families, describing the event as a national tragedy. He promised continued efforts in the rescue operations.
\nAs the investigation into the cause of the collapse begins, authorities are focusing on determining whether any structural issues contributed to the disaster.
\nThe collapse has sent shockwaves across the country, with many remembering Dotel, who was a beloved figure in the Dominican Republic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Among the victims of the Dominican Republic nightclub collapse were former baseball players. Santo Domingo A devastating roof collapse at a popular nightclub in the capital, Santo Domingo, has left at least 98 dead and more than 150 injured, officials have confirmed. The tragedy struck in the early hours of Tuesday during a concert by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":471586,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-471555","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n