The death toll from the collapse of a roof at a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic during a concert Tuesday has risen to 98, according to Anadolu Agency.
The preliminary death toll has risen to 98,” said Juan Manuel Mendez, the director of the country’s Emergency Operations Center.
Mendez said that rescue efforts continue, but the exact number of people inside the Jet Set nightclub during the collapse is unclear.
At least 160 people are injured, with over 370 emergency personnel and 150 ambulances involved in the ongoing search for survivors, as families gather at the site looking for their loved ones.
Two former Major League Baseball players are on the list of victims following the incident, which occurred at the Jet Set nightclub during a concert by Dominican merengue singer Rubby Perez.
Former pitcher Octavio Dotel and outfielder Tony Blanco were at the nightclub when the tragedy occurred.
Dotel played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball between 1999 and 2013, representing 13 teams. He was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals team that won the 2011 World Series.
While authorities initially reported Dotel's rescue from the debris, press reports later indicated that he died while being transported to a hospital.
"We are heartbroken to learn the tragic news that former Astros pitcher Octavio Dotel was one of several individuals that passed away when a roof collapsed in his native Dominican Republic last night," the Houston Astros, Dotel's team from 2000 to 2004, said on X.
Blanco, who played first base, third base and outfield, spent nine seasons in Major League Baseball and subsequently played for eight years in Japan. He was a member of the Washington Nationals, playing 56 games for the franchise, including his debut in 2005.
The governor of Monte Cristi province, Nelsy Cruz, has also been confirmed deceased, according to government sources.
“We are rescuing all the people we can save alive and recovering those bodies we find along the way. But we have focused on people we can rescue alive because we hear them asking for help,” Mendez said.
A temporary morgue and blood donation center have been set up near the location.
The Public Works Ministry has announced an investigation into the causes of the structural failure.
The government declared three days of national mourning.
