A former MLB pitcher who briefly played for the Los Angeles Dodgers is among the dozens dead after the roof of an iconic nightclub collapsed early Tuesday morning in the Dominican Republic.
Octavio Dotel, 51, was among the dozens of politicians, athletes and other civilians who were enjoying a merengue concert in the capital city of Santo Domingo when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub collapsed.
More than 40 are feared dead in the catastrophe with more than 160 others suffering injuries, officials said.
Dotel, who spent 15 seasons as a relief pitcher in the MLB, was initially reported to have been injured. However, the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic later posted on X that Dotel had died. Local outlets Diario Libre and Noticias SIN, as well as MLB insider Héctor Gómez, reported that Dotel was pronounced dead after being pulled from the rubble.
The native of the Dominican Republic started his MLB career with the New York Mets in 1999, then played for 12 other teams in his career, including the Dodgers in 2010.
His career highlights include a 2011 World Series title with the St. Louis Cardinals, as well as contributing to a combined no-hitter as a member of the Houston Astros.
Dotel recorded 109 saves over his Major League career and had a regular season ERA of 3.78, according to MLB.com.
Also among the victims was Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi. She had called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 a.m. saying she was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, First Lady Raquel Abraje told reporters. Officials said Cruz died later at the hospital.
She was the sister of seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, who last played with the San Diego Padres in 2023.
Two other former MLB players — Henry Blanco, who played for the Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Esteban Germán, who played for the Kansas City Royals and the then-Oakland Athletics — were reportedly at the nightclub but left before the roof collapse, according to local outlet La Nación.
The cause of the roof collapse is under investigation.
Jet Set issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities. “The loss of human life leaves us in a state of deep pain and dismay,” it said.
Abinader wrote on X that all rescue agencies are “working tirelessly” to help those affected.
“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred,” the Dominican President wrote.
At one hospital where the injured were taken, an official stood outside reading aloud the names of survivors as a crowd gathered around her and yelled out the names of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, dozens of people gathered at the National Institute of Forensic Pathology, which projected pictures of the victims so their loved ones could identify them.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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