A tragedy happened this week in the Dominican Republic: Octavio Dotel, well known Dominican Republic player, was killed in a nightclub. Dotel pitched for 13 major league teams in a 15-year career and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was among the dead after a roof collapsed at a nightclub in his native Dominican Republic, where he was attending a merengue concert. He was 51. 

Officials said Dotel was rescued from the debris and transported to a hospital, but news man Satosky Terrero from the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic confirmed to The Press that Dotel died later Tuesday. 

Taking the light off of Dotel, at least 79 people died and 160 were injured after the collapse, and they are still finding more bodies at this time. At the Jet Set nightclub, officials are also saying Tony Blanco, who played one MLB season and eight years professionally in Japan, also died following the collapse. Another killed was Nelsy Cruz, governor of the Monte Cristi province and the sister of Nelson Cruz, a former MLB player and current MLB special adviser to baseball operations.

Many are all asking the same question: how and why the roof collapsed, but reporters are saying that it is still under investigation. The main speculation is saying that it may have been due to the weight of the roof being too much for the structure; it also could potentially be exacerbated by a lack of rebar in the concrete. It also meant possibilities include structural damage from a previous fire in 2023 and never really fixing it and could really be the chance of overloading the roof with generators, air conditioners, and other equipment. Nothing has been said by the club as of this time.

There was a wake that happened for the loved ones of what happened. Joined by the president, Luis Abinader, dozens of residents gathered in a sweltering gym to say goodbye. They clutched white roses and tried through tears to understand how a single town could lose so many people. Some wondered if they would ever be able to be in the same town and have the chance to laugh and sing again at the building. 

There is still so much more information to be told but with being out of the country and it happening currently, it’s hard to get more. Wishing for all the families whose loved ones died or hurt.