At Least 98 Dead in Nightclub Roof Collapse in Dominican Republic

least 98 people were killed and 160 others injured after the roof of a nightclub collapsed during a concert in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, authorities said on Tuesday.

Rescue crews worked through the night searching for survivors in the wreckage of the one-story Jet Set Club, where the collapse occurred in the early hours of Tuesday during a performance by merengue singer Rubby Pérez.

"We presume many are still alive, which is why we will not stop until every last person is accounted for," said Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Center.

The cause of the collapse remains unclear. Enrique Paulino, Pérez’s manager, told reporters the concert had begun shortly before midnight, with the roof caving in nearly an hour later. The band’s saxophonist was among those killed.

“It happened so fast. I managed to throw myself into a corner,” Paulino said, recalling that he initially mistook the disaster for an earthquake.

National Mourning as Officials Confirm High-Profile Deaths

President Luis Abinader expressed his grief on social media, stating that all rescue agencies were "working tirelessly" to assist victims. He later visited the scene, embracing distraught families searching for missing loved ones.

Among the dead were Nelsy Cruz, governor of the northwestern Montecristi province and sister of MLB star Nelson Cruz, as well as former Major League pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, and Dominican baseball player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera.

Cruz had called President Abinader at 12:49 a.m., telling him she was trapped beneath the rubble, according to First Lady Raquel Arbaje. She later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital.

“This is too great a tragedy,” Arbaje said, her voice breaking.

Desperate Search for Survivors Amid Chaos

Nearly 12 hours after the collapse, rescue teams continued sifting through debris, using saws and drills to break through concrete while listening for cries for help. Méndez said crews were focusing on three areas where sounds had been detected.

At a nearby hospital, an official read aloud the names of survivors as crowds shouted the names of missing relatives. Meanwhile, dozens gathered at the National Institute of Forensic Pathology to identify victims through photographs.

Rubby Pérez, the night’s performer, was initially reported rescued, but Méndez later clarified that crews were still searching for him.

The club’s owner, Antonio Espaillat, issued a statement expressing devastation over the incident and confirming his cooperation with authorities.

Prosecutor Rosalba Ramos told local media that while the cause remained under investigation, the immediate focus was on rescue efforts. More than 120 people lined up to donate blood at two centers, while a makeshift morgue was set up near the site.

“We have faith in God that we will rescue even more people alive,” President Abinader told reporters.