World Series champion missing after nightclub ceiling collapse that killed at least 15
By ADRY TORRES
Retired Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel is among dozens of people missing after a roof collapsed and killed 15 at a popular night club in the Dominican Republic.
The incident took place around 12:44 am during merengue singer Rubby Pérez's live performance when a section of the ceiling plummeted at the Jet Set venue in Santo Domingo.
The Emergency Operations Center said at least 101 people, including Pérez, have been rushed to local hospitals in the Dominican capital.
First responders are continuing to search for trapped guests.
Dominican television station Supercanal reported that paramedics provided IVs to some of the clubgoers who are still trapped under the rubble awaiting to be rescued.
President Luis Abinader confirmed that the fatal victims include Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the province of Montecristi and sister of former major leaguer Nelson Cruz.
In a video, a male clubgoer pointed toward an area of the nightclub and noticed that something was wrong with the ceiling.
'Oh, something fell from above, you see? Something fell from the ceiling,' the guest said.
Pictured: Rubby Perez's live performance when a section of the ceiling plummeted
Pictured: The aftermath after the collapse
Former Major League Baseball player Octavio Dotel remains trapped at Jet Set after the rood collapsed during an event early Tuesday
A woman, who appeared to be with the man recording the video, could be heard screaming, 'Dad, what happened to you?'
A separate video showed multiple guests looking at a lighting structure that was attached to the ceiling when the roof came crashing down.
Pérez's daughter, Zulinka Pérez, told reporters that one of the band's backup singers and her husband were lying over her.
Her husband urged her to leave first to ensure that their child had someone to look after him in the event he didn't survive.
'He told me, "Babe get out so the child won't be alone if this whole thing falls down. I crawled out",' Zulinka said.
Crews are currently searching for potential survivors in the rubble early Tuesday, according to Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations.
'We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,' he said.
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