Dominicans around the world are grieving the tragic nightclub accident that took place on the island this week. Around 1 am on April 8, the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed with at least 300 people inside.
According to Juan Manuel Méndez, the director of the Emergency Operations Center, the incident killed at least 124 people, including merengue singer Rubby Pérez and two former Major League Baseball players, Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco.
Dotel and Blanco’s deaths were also confirmed by the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation Instagram account, where they posted tributes for the late athletes.
“We deeply regret the passing of former Major League Baseball player and Dominican Sports Legend Octavio Dotel,” officials captioned the post in Spanish. “His legacy on and off the field leaves an indelible mark on the history of Dominican baseball. Peace to his soul and strength to his family and loved ones.”
“We deeply regret the passing of former Major League Baseball player Tony Blanco. His legacy will live on in the history of national baseball. We share his family, friends, and teammates’ grief and offer our prayers for his eternal rest. Peace to his soul,” they wrote of Blanco in a separate post.
Dotel, who spent 15 years playing for the major leagues, was rescued from the rubble and reportedly died on the way to the hospital, per CNN. However, Blanco was confirmed dead on the scene. Though Dominican officials confirmed 124 deaths, 33 bodies still need to be identified CNN reports.
Similarly, rescue efforts have recovered 145 people from the rubble, but it remains unclear how many people are still trapped under the nightclub.
“We continue clearing debris and searching for people,” Méndez told AP News. “We’re going to search tirelessly for people.”
As officials and emergency responders work to rescue people from the rubble, the cause of the accident remains unknown, as Méndez says investigators are looking into the situation. As families await updates from their loved ones, Dominican artists like Cardi B have taken to social media to share their condolences.
“I’m in literal tears scrolling down my timeline seeing my Dominican people being rescued some [with] lives and some gone,” she wrote in BG Secret Society community on Instagram, per Complex. “I’m sad seeing families crying desperately in pain looking for love ones ..I feel like every Dominican around the world is in a big hora Santa praying for survivors and praying for the ones that are gone to be in God’s Glory. For the people who lost a family or a friend don’t have bad memories they left this earth singing and dancing and most likely happy and enjoying themselves, and that’s how the lord will receive them.”
“There are no words to express the pain this event has caused,” the club said in a translated statement, per NBC News. “What happened has been devastating for everyone. We want you to know that we are with you and that we share your anguish. As the Jet Set family, we are with you. To you, mothers, fathers, siblings, children, and loved ones of those affected: you can count on us.”
