Jet Set NightClub Collapse in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, kills dozens

“We assume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until one person remains under those rubble,” he said.

He said the teams were still working to determine the total number of people who were present at the scene at the time of the incident.

A specialized canine unit has been brought to help find in critical areas of difficult access, emergency officials said.

It was not clear immediately what caused the roof to collapse. The Jet Set Club said in a statement: “We are collaborating completely and transparently with the competent authorities to help the victims and clarify what happened.”

The club said the tragedy “has deeply hit the hearts of all of us who are part of the jet set and all Dominicans. The loss of human life leaves us in a state of pain and dismay.

President Luis Abinader wrote on social networks that all rescue agencies were “working tirelessly” to help those affected.

“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred in the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred,” he wrote.

Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwest province of Montecristi and sister of the seven -time baseball star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims. He called President Abinader at 12:49 am saying that he was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, the first lady Raquel Abraje told reporters. The authorities said Cruz later died at the hospital.

“This is a tragedy too big,” Abraje said in a broken voice.

In a statement, Cruz’s family paid tribute to “his legacy of service and love for others.”

Big Leagues Baseball Remove Octavio Dotel He also died in the collapse, confirmed the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic in a statement. Dotel played for more than a dozen teams during his career, including the New York Mets and Yankees, the Houston Astros, the Chicago White Sox, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and the Detroit Tigers, and helped take the Cardinals of St. Louis to a World World Champion 2011.

Merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who acted at the time of collapse, died in the disaster, his manager, Enrique Paulino, confirmed in a statement to News.

Paulino, whose shirt was dotted with blood, told journalists on the scene that the concert began shortly before midnight, with the roof collapse almost an hour later.

“It was sudden. I thought it was an earthquake, so I threw myself to the ground and covered my head,” he said.

“We tried to get to the area where Rubby was, but there were too many rubble there,” he added.

Abinader arrived at the scene and hugged those who were looking for friends and family, some with tears running down their faces.

“We have faith in God that we will rescue more living people,” he told reporters.

In a hospital where they were taken, an official was outside reading aloud the names of the survivors while a crowd gathered around him and shouted the names of his loved ones.

Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the concert but did not return home, was among those who were waiting anxiously outside the club known for their traditional festivals held on Monday, where the renowned national and international artists act.

“We are clinging only to God,” said Olivo.

He was also waiting for the word Massiel Cuevas, godmother of Darlenys Batista, 22.

“I am waiting for her. She is there, I know she is there,” Cuevas said, firm in her belief that Batista would be taken alive.

News contributed to this report.

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