World Series champion Octavio Dotel has reportedly passed away after getting crushed in the roof collapse of a popular nightclub in Dominican Republic.
Sources have confirmed that at least 47 people were killed and nearly 166 were injured in the Jet Set roof collapse incident on Tuesday morning.
Over 300 people were said to be inside the venue watching merengue artists Rubby Perez perform live when all of a sudden, the roof collapsed and the ceiling started to cave in at about 1 am local time.
Amongst the audience members were politicians, athletes, and fans. Perez was said to be playing for them for nearly an hour before the roof came crashing down.
He was also among those stuck at the venue for hours. Others killed included the likes of Nelsy Cruz, who was the governor of Montecristi, and former MLB player Nelson Cruz. The tragedy was confirmed by the president of the Dominican Republic.
Perez was indeed injured in the chaos while his saxophonist was killed, as per the star’s manager. The latter’s shirt was splattered with blood when he spoke to reporters at the scene. Many thought they were experiencing an earthquake when the dramatic incident arose.