Dominican Republic – A former Houston Astros pitcher was amongst the 44 people who were killed when a roof collapsed at a popular nightclub in the capital of the Dominican Republic Tuesday morning.
Tuesday afternoon, the Houston Astros took to X, formally known as Twitter, to report that former pitcher, 51-year-old Octavio Dotel, was amongst the dozens killed.
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Dotel spent five seasons (2000-04) of his 15-year Major League career with the Houston Astros.
While in Houston, he was one of the top relievers in all of baseball and was a significant part of a dominant bullpen that included Hall of Famer Billy Wagner and All-Star Brad Lidge.
A workhorse, Dotel’s club-leading 159 appearances in 2002-03 combined were second in the Majors in that span, during which he posted a 2.15 ERA.
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.
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 8, 2025
Dotel, 51, spent five seasons (2000-04) of his outstanding, 15-year Major… pic.twitter.com/wQui3h7rko
What happened?
Reports started Tuesday morning when the roof collapsed nearly an hour after the merengue concert headed by Rubby Pérez began at Jet Set, which was known for hosting merengue parties every Monday that drew international and national artists and high-profile Dominicans.
A video posted on social media shows parts of the roof falling as people began to move away seconds before the entire roof fell.
Authorities say it’s too early to determine why the roof fell. Firefighters removed blocks of broken concrete and created makeshift planks to try and reach survivors buried under the debris.
It’s unclear how often government officials inspect buildings in the Dominican Republic and when the last inspection was done at Jet Set, if ever.
Jet Set is an iconic nightclub located in southern Santo Domingo that has operated for nearly five decades. It was known for its “Jet Set Mondays” that featured local and international artists.
The club opened in 1973 as a club and restaurant, becoming the most popular venue of its kind in the Dominican Republic, according to Listín Diario, a local newspaper.
It later moved from the place where it originally opened, celebrating its first anniversary with merengue and salsa icon Johnny Ventura.
The club underwent renovations in 2010 and 2015, and it was struck by lightning in 2023, according to the newspaper.
General admission tickets for Monday’s concert with Rubby Pérez were $32, while the VIP ones were $40, according to the club’s website.
As of Tuesday, rescue crews are still looking for survivors. As of late Tuesday afternoon, and government officials have not said when they would shift to a recovery phase.
More than 160 people are said to have been injured in the incident.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.