Former players of the main league Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco were among more than 60 people who died after The roof of the cult nightclub collapsed In the Dominican Republic, the Dominican National Police soon confirmed Tuesday.
Officials said at least 66 people were killed, including Nelsy Cruz, governor of the northwest province of Monte Cristi and sister seven-time MLB All-star Nelson Cruz. According to Dominican civil defense, another 160 people were injured.
The collapse occurred around 1:00 during the Merengue concert, which attracted athletes, politicians and more to the nozzle club in Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital. It was not immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse.
“The Baseball Major League is deeply saddened by the Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsa Cruz and all the victims of the tragedy last night in Santo Domingo,” said Commissioner Rob Manfred. “We send sincere condolences to families and friends of all those who were affected and our colleague Nelson and his whole family.
“The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic is running deep and we think of all Dominican players and fans today throughout the game.”
The professional baseball league of the Dominican Republic has also confirmed Dotel’s death on social media.
Dotel, which entered 36 savings for Houston Astros and Athletics In 2004 he was withdrawn from the debris about six hours after the collapse and was transported to the hospital.
“Dot was taken to one of the designated hospitals. On the way, his condition deteriorated and died,” said Dominican National Police spokesman Diego Pesqueira.
Dotel, 51, launched his main league career in 1999 with New York Metswho kept the moment of silence for Toutel before Tuesday’s match. In 2011 helped Louis Cardinals Win the world series. During his 15 years in large companies with 13 different teams, Dotel recorded 109 storage and recorded 3.78 ERA.
We are a fracture to learn the tragic news that the former jug of Astros Octavio Totel was one of the few individuals who died when the roof collapsed last night in his native Dominican Republic.
Dotel, 51, spent five seasons (2000-04) of his excellent, 15-year-old main … pic.twitter.com/wqui3h7rko
– Houston Astros (@astros) April 8, 2025
Blanco, 43, was in smaller leagues between 2000 and 2008 and reached 56 games in 2005 Washington NationalsHe hit 0.215 at home and seven RBIs. After his career MLB played in Japan and the Dominican Republic.
The Ministry of Sport and Recreation of the Dominican Republic confirmed Blanco’s death. His son, Tony Blanco Jr., is in Pittsburgh Pirates“The agricultural system.
He was also killed by a Dominican player of the baseball Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, a professional baseball league spokesman for Dominican Republic of Satoska Terrero.
Nelsa Cruz called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 in the morning that she was imprisoned and that the roof collapsed, said first Lady Raquel Arbaje to journalists. The officials said Cruz died later in the hospital.
“That’s too much tragedy,” said the emotional Arbai.
President Abinader, who was on the scene, wrote on X that all rescue agencies “work tirelessly” to help the disabled.
Almost 12 hours after the peak of the night club collapsed down to the patrons, the rescue crew still pulled out the survivors from the debris. On the scene, firefighters removed blocks of broken concrete and saw wood boards to use them to lift heavy residues when the noise of the drills broke the concrete filled the air.
“We have faith in God that we will save even more people alive,” Abinader told reporters.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
