A-List Dominican artiste Rubby Pérez was injured after a roof collapsed during his performance at a popular night club in the Dominican Republic

Current death after the disaster at the popular Santo Domingo nightclub has been updated from 27 to 44 and 160 hospitalized, with at least 146 trapped people pulled from the rubble

Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the province of Montecristi and sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz, is confirmed dead

Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, was rescued after being trapped underneath the debris, before passing away at a local hospital

First responders continue search for survivors, using thermal cameras to detect body heat signatures of tapped victims

Legendary merengue artiste Rubby Pérez [left], and his band were in the middle of a set at the weekly Monday night party at The Jet Set nightclub before the venue’s roof collapsed

Big shot Dominican musician Rubby Pérez is among those pulled from the rubble after the roof caved in. The initial death toll of 27 has been revised to 44 of the patrons at a popular night club in Santo Domingo when an A List Dominican was performing on stage.
Around 12:44 am Tuesday, April 8, the merengue singer was on stage with his band during a live performance when a section of the ceiling failed, cascading down at the Jet Set, a popular upmarket watering hole in the capital city of the Dominican Republic.
Footage shared on social media showed Pérez, who had two hits in Billboard chart lists, performing on stage when parts of the ceiling came crashing down on the dancing crowd and the performers.
Pérez’s’ daughter and band vocalist, Zulinka Pérez, told reporters that the legendary artist, trapped under the rubble, started singing in a bid to draw the attention of rescue crew workers.

The scene of destruction chaos on Tuesday morning after a section of the ceiling plummeted at Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic early Tuesday. He death toll currently stands at 27, 160 injured with at last 146 people rescued

The Emergency Operations Center reported at least 121 people rushed to local hospitals in the capital.
First responders are continuing to search for survivors on April 8, with the aid of thermal cameras that can detect the body heat signatures of victims trapped underneath the rubble.
Local media reports about 146 people pulled from the debris. Former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51,who had been among those trapped underneath the debris, when he was heard screaming for help, according to Dominican television station Supercanal.
However, the 2011 World Series champ later succumbed to his injuries and died, head of emergency operations Gen. Juan Manuel Mendez confirmed to Noticias SIN..
President Luis Abinader earlier confirmed that Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the province of Montecristi, and sister of another ex Major League Baseball player, Nelson Cruz is among earliest set of victims whose deaths have been confirmed.

Rubby Pérez’s was on stage when a section of the ceiling imploded at Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo. The artiste was pulled out from under the rubble and rushed to area hospital

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.
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.

EMTs were on hand early Tuesday to rescue survivors after the roof collapsed on staff and patrons at The Jet Set night club in San Domingo while a band was on stage performing early Tuesday morning

Confirmed fatalities include Nelsy Cruz [right], the governor of the province of Montecristi and sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz [left]

Former MLB star Octavio Dotel [photo], was rescued after being trapped under rubble when the roof at Jet Set night club collapsed during an event early Tuesday. He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital

Zulinka said she was standing next to her husband, who is also band vocalist, when he threw himself on top of her as the ceiling fell.
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.
Center of Emergency Operations director, Juan Manuel Mendez, told reporters that many of the people who were at the nightclub, which has a capacity of 1,000 customers, may still be alive.
‘That is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,’ he said.

Dawn broke on Tuesday, rescue workers were on hand searching through the rubble for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The roof collapsed on clubgoers including the live band, during a party hours earlier

At least 800 guests reportedly, were at the weekly party at Jet Set. First responders remove a male survivor from Jet Set nightclub, the capital city’s popular watering hole which first opened its doors in 1973

President Abinader visited the site and vowed that the government will exhaust all resources to ensure that trapped victims are saved. 
First lady Raquel Arbaje told reporters Governor Cruz called President Abinader at 12:49am and told him that she was trapped. Her death in the incident has been confirmed. Music promoter Carlos Bautista, who survived the accident, said there were at least 800 guests at the weekly party at Jet Set when the roof caved in.
The venue which can host up to 1000 guests, was established over five decades ago in 1973, as a restaurant and club. The venue often hosted some of the top talents of merengue, the most popular music genre in the country.