Singer Rubby Pérez is among at least 124 people killed when the roof of a nightclub collapsed while he was performing in the Dominican Republic

More than 255 people were injured in the collapse, with the death toll steadily rising through Tuesday and Wednesday as rescue workers search for survivors and bodies under the rubble

Hundreds of people, including athletes, entertainers and government officials, attended his live performance at Jet Set in the capital Santo Domingo when the roof caved in shortly after midnight on Monday

Nearly forty eight hours after the tragedy only 32 of the dead have been identified so far, including Pérez’s saxophone player, Luis Solis

Other identified fatalities include Nelsy Cruz, the provincial governor of Montecristi along with former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco

Killed: Celebrated merengue singer Rubby Pérez [photo], was on stage when the roof of the nightclub collapsed while he was performing in the Dominican Republic early Tuesday morning. He was rescued only to succumb to his injuries in hospital

Celebrated merengue singer Rubby Pérez, 69, has been listed among at least 124 people killed when the roof of a nightclub collapsed while he was performing in the Dominican Republic early Tuesday morning.
Hundreds of people, including athletes, entertainers and government officials, were at his gig at Jet Set in the capital Santo Domingo when the roof caved in around 12.44 am.
Some among the hundreds of patrons and musicians trapped beneath the concrete, were heard making desperate pleas for help before they died.
Pérez who was on stage with his band when the top came down, sang to rescue workers to help them find him, his daughter said. Provincial governor Nelsy Cruz called the president.
‘It happened so quickly,’ Pérez’s manager Enrique Paulino said. ‘I managed to throw myself into a corner.’

The carnage after the roof collapsed at The Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, early Tuesday injuring hundreds of people with a death toll of 124 and counting

Usually the city’s nightlife hub, where people swarm between clubs, bars and restaurants, it’s been transformed into a sea of rescue teams with survivors in blood-soaked clothes.
More than 255 people were injured in the collapse, with the death toll steadily rising through Tuesday and Wednesday.
So far only 32 of the dead have been identified, including Pérez’s saxophone player, Luis Solis.
Also listed among the fatalities in the collapse are former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco.
Nelsy Cruz the governor of the province of Montecristi and sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz was among the first 15 confirmed deceased.

EMTs load an injured survivor for transportation to a local hospital after he was pulled from the rubble

The family of Nelsy Cruz, 51, sister of another MLB player Nelson Cruz, said: ‘She served in life with dedication, commitment, and love for her people and her community.’
Speaking 14 hours into the search effort, before Pérez had been found, his brother Micaías said: ‘We only trust that the grace of God really will work a miracle.’
It is not yet clear what caused the roof collapse at Jet Set, which caught fire in 2023 after lightning struck its power supply.
Today Jet Set, which has been described as the country’s ‘place of reference’ by Billboard magazine, said the ‘tragedy struck a deep note in the hearts of all of us’.

Buzz saws and diggers have been deployed to help clear the mangled metal and concrete as rescue teams continue to pull bodies from the rubble, with the possibility the death toll might rise

The club management in their statement said: ‘The loss of life leaves us in a state of profound pain and dismay.
‘In this difficult time, our prayers are with each of the affected families. We share their pain as if it were our own, because we are also in mourning.
‘We are collaborating fully and transparently with the relevant authorities to assist the victims and clarify what happened.’

Killed: Among the earliest confirmed fatalities was Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the province of Montecristi and sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz

Killed: Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel was killed in the accident on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic

Killed: Another former Major League Baseball player and father of current Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Tony Blanco Jr., is among the 124 attendees killed in Tuesday morning’s roof collapse at a nightclub in Santo Domingo

As rescue teams continue to pull bodies from the rubble, it is not yet clear how many still trapped inside will survive.
Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, said: ‘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.’
President Luis Abinader who visited the site on Tuesday wrote on X: ‘We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have followed the case minute by minute since it happened.
‘All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families.’