A Night of Music Turns to Mourning: World Series Champion Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco Among 98 Dead in Dominican Nightclub Collapse

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — April 8, 2025 will forever be remembered as the night the music stopped, and with it, the lives of nearly 100 souls, including two of the Dominican Republic’s most beloved sons.

A devastating roof collapse at the famed Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo turned a joyful concert into a graveyard of dreams early Tuesday morning. As legendary merengue singer Rubby Pérez serenaded a crowd of hundreds, the unthinkable happened — concrete, steel, and sound came crashing down, burying patrons in an instant.

Among the victims were former Major League Baseball standouts Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, whose deaths have sent shockwaves through the global baseball community.

“Dotel was alive when they pulled him out,” confirmed Dominican National Police spokesman Diego Pesqueira. “He was being rushed to the hospital when his condition deteriorated rapidly. He didn’t make it.”

The 50-year-old Dotel, a World Series champion, had become a national symbol of Dominican pride. Known for his record-breaking 13-team Major League career, he was also admired for his vibrant spirit and love of country. His final moments, crushed beneath the roof of a place meant for celebration, now haunt a nation.

Also confirmed dead was Tony Blanco, 43, a former MLB player with the Washington Nationals and a journeyman star in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League. His quiet resilience and unrelenting drive made him a fan favorite in every league he touched.

Adding to the heartbreak, officials confirmed the death of Nelsy Cruz, sister of MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz and a prominent political figure. First Lady Raquel Arbaje shared that Nelsy had managed to make a call to President Luis Abinader at 12:49 a.m., whispering through broken breath that she was trapped.

She never made it out alive.

“A piece of our nation has been ripped away,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, in a somber statement. “Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco were more than just players — they were beacons of Dominican excellence. The world mourns with us today.”

The final death toll now stands at 98, with more than 160 others injured, some still in critical condition. Emergency workers, their uniforms soaked in blood and dust, continued digging through debris late into the night, praying for miracles amid the rubble.

The tragedy is believed to have been caused by structural fatigue exacerbated by recent torrential rains, though an official investigation is still underway. Authorities have vowed swift accountability.

Dan Horwits, Dotel’s longtime agent and friend, broke down as he remembered the pitcher.

“OD was electric,” he said. “He walked into a room and brought sunshine. To think he died under a collapsed roof, in a place meant for joy, is just unfathomable.”

The Houston Astros, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, and St. Louis Cardinals — just a few of the teams Dotel once called home — have all posted tributes, some lowering flags at half-mast. The 2011 World Series, which Dotel won with the Cardinals, now echoes with deeper emotion for fans and teammates alike.

Dotel leaves behind his wife Massiel and their two young children — lives now marked by grief, their light dimmed by the shadow of sudden loss.

The collapse at Jet Set nightclub has become one of the deadliest entertainment tragedies in the Caribbean in recent history. Once a place of laughter and rhythm, the club now lies in ruin, a symbol of celebration turned into catastrophe.

As the Dominican Republic begins three days of national mourning, one thing is certain: Baseball lost more than players last night. It lost heroes, memories, and heartbeat.

“They didn’t just wear our flag,” said a mourner outside the nightclub, holding a photo of Dotel. “They lifted it high. Now we must lift them in our hearts forever.”

IN LOVING MEMORY:

• Octavio Eduardo Dotel Diaz (1973–2025)

• Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera (1981–2025)

• Nelsy Cruz and 95 other beautiful lives gone too soon

May their souls find rest beyond the ruins.