Nightclub roof collapse allegedly trapped MLB champ Octavio Dotel

Early this morning, a terrible disaster happened in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, when the roof of a nightclub collapsed, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 120. Rescue teams are still working to find survivors, but a former Major League Baseball player might be among the rubble.

• Warning: This wasn’t a small part of the roof; it was almost the entire ceiling. The videos below show the scene before, during, and after, which can be triggering.

Making the situation even more heartbreaking, reports from TMZ say that former Major League Baseball player Octavio Dotel was one of the people trapped under the wreckage of the Jet Set nightclub. Fortunately, he is said to be alive, but we don’t yet know how badly he is hurt as rescuers keep searching through the rubble, as shown in videos on X.

The roof caved in during a concert by famous merengue singer Rubby Perez, causing panic in the crowded club. When the ceiling fell, it crushed many people inside and left dozens hurt, per People. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, and ambulances carried multiple injured people at a time to nearby hospitals.

Dominican Republic nightclub roof caved in

The disaster was so big that local resources were stretched thin, showing how much more help is needed to keep searching for survivors and treating the wounded. The Dominican Republic’s emergency operations director said rescue teams are still looking because they believe more people may be trapped alive.

Octavio Dotel, who is 51 and from Santo Domingo, had a successful 15-year career in Major League Baseball. He started playing for the New York Mets in 1999 and became known as a strong relief pitcher, often finishing games for his team. Dotel played for 13 different teams, including well-known ones like the Houston Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals. He played a key role in helping the Cardinals win the World Series in 2011, which made him even more respected in baseball.

That season, he had a great performance in the playoffs, helping the team win important games. The next year, he joined the Detroit Tigers and made it to the World Series again, proving he was a reliable player throughout his career. By the time he retired, he had recorded 109 saves and maintained a 3.78 earned run average (ERA).

When news broke that Dotel was caught in the collapse, his former teammates, fans, and the baseball community quickly became worried. Early reports said he was alive but still trapped, but we don’t know exactly how he’s doing or how serious his injuries are until rescuers can reach him. This sad situation shows how life can change in an instant, even for someone who has had great success in their career.

Beyond Dotel’s story, this tragedy has taken at least 18 lives, and that number could still go up. One of the victims was Nelsy Cruz, the sister of former MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, adding even more personal sorrow to the event. With so many people hurt, it’s clear how serious this collapse was, and there will need to be long-term support for the victims and their families. The President of the Dominican Republic visited the scene after the collapse and promised that the government would help with rescue efforts and support those affected.

As rescue teams keep working and the full toll of this tragedy becomes clear, it’s a sobering lesson on why safety and proper planning are so important to prevent disasters like this in the future. Now, the Dominican Republic must focus on helping the victims and their families while also investigating exactly what went wrong.