A National Tragedy: Rubby Pérez, Octavio Dotel Among 113 Dead in Dominican Republic Club Collapse
The Dominican Republic is mourning one of its deadliest tragedies in recent memory after the roof of Jet Set, an iconic nightclub in Santo Domingo, collapsed during a concert, killing at least 113 people and injuring over 250 others, according to the country’s Emergency Operations Center (COE). Rescue teams from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Israel are still searching for survivors in the rubble.
Among the dead are merengue icon Rubby Pérez and former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera. Also confirmed deceased is Nelsy Cruz, governor of the Montecristi province and sister of seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz. The gravity of the loss has shaken the island’s cultural and athletic communities.
What Happened at Jet Set Nightclub in the Dominican Republic?
The collapse occurred just after midnight on April 8, 2025, during a highly anticipated concert by Rubby Pérez. The venue was filled with about 300 people dancing to merengue when, according to various eyewitness videos, dust began falling from the ceiling. Seconds later, the entire roof caved in.
According to AP News, the roof gave way nearly an hour into Pérez’s set. A viral video shows chandeliers swinging violently before crashing down with the roof. The venue, which has operated since 1973 and is known for its “Jet Set Mondays,” had previously been damaged by a lightning strike and fire in 2023.
Rubby Pérez Found Dead After Singing Under the Rubble
Conflicting reports initially suggested Rubby Pérez had survived. His daughter Zulinka Pérez told Listín Diario that he was found because he began singing under the debris so rescuers could hear him. His brother, an orthopedic doctor, was reportedly with him during the rescue attempt. However, by Tuesday afternoon, COE director Juan Manuel Méndez confirmed that Pérez had died in the collapse. His manager Enrique Paulino told CNN, “We lost him.”
Known as “La Voz Más Alta del Merengue,” Pérez was 69 and had been a defining voice in Dominican music since the 1980s. Fellow artists like Wilfrido Vargas and Olga Tañón publicly mourned his passing, with Vargas calling him “the friend and idol of our genre.”
MLB Legends Among the Victims of the Dominican Republic Collapse
Octavio Dotel, 51, was one of Major League Baseball’s most beloved journeymen, having played for 13 teams across 15 seasons. USA Today reported that Dotel was rescued alive from the rubble but died en route to the hospital. He was known for setting a then-record for most teams played for and earned a World Series ring with the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals.
Tony Blanco, 44, who had played with the Washington Nationals and professionally in Japan, also died in the tragedy. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a statement: “The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today.”
Governor Nelsy Cruz Alerted the President Before Dying
According to the Dominican First Lady Raquel Arbaje, Nelsy Cruz called President Luis Abinader from beneath the rubble. Despite her alert, Cruz later died in the hospital. Her brother Nelson Cruz shared a family statement on social media honoring her legacy of service.
Satosky Terrero, spokesperson for the Dominican Baseball League, also confirmed the deaths of Dotel and Blanco to The Associated Press.
The Search for Survivors Continues
Authorities say it’s still too early to determine the cause of the collapse. There is no current record of when Jet Set’s last safety inspection took place. The Ministry of Public Works has not commented, and the mayor’s office has not returned calls, according to AP News.
Rescue efforts have been intense. CNN reported that more than 300 emergency workers have been combing through the rubble, with Puerto Rican and Israeli teams joining the operation. Aerial images show a massive hole in the center of the club’s roof, directly above where the dance floor would have been.
COE officials have stated that ambulances made over 150 hospital transfers, some transporting up to three people at a time. Many families are still searching for missing relatives, crowding hospitals and the national morgue with photos in hand.
The Dominican Republic Declares National Mourning
President Abinader declared three days of national mourning, beginning Wednesday. Flags will fly at half-mast throughout the country. In a statement on X, he wrote, “Our prayers are with the affected families.”
Jet Set, in a statement, said, “What happened has been devastating for everyone. As the Jet Set family, we are with you.”
With many of the deceased still awaiting identification, this tragedy marks one of the most deadly incidents in recent Dominican Republic history, second only to the 2005 Higüey prison fire that killed 136 people.
The Dominican Republic Club Collapse Leaves a Hole in Cultural Memory
The collapse of Jet Set has left more than physical devastation. It has torn into the fabric of Dominican culture, music, and national pride. Rubby Pérez’s voice, Dotel’s fastball, Blanco’s swing—all now silenced in a space that once celebrated joy.
As investigations continue, so does the mourning. The Dominican Republic finds itself asking how such a loss could happen, and how to begin healing from it.
