SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (WBTV) – A former Atlanta Braves player tragically died this week when the roof of a nightclub collapsed while he was attending a concert in the Dominican Republic.
Octavio Dotel, who played for the Braves during part of the 2007 MLB season, was inside the Jet Set nightclub when the roof caved in early Tuesday morning.
The 51-year-old was among at least 113 fatalities from the incident, with over 255 others injured, according to the latest reports from the Associated Press. Merengue singer Rubby Perez, who was performing at the time of the collapse, was found dead in the rubble on Wednesday.
The director of emergency operations told the AP that rescue teams would continue searching the debris for survivors as long as missing persons reports were received.
Dotel wasn’t the only athlete to lose his life in the incident. Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, a player in the Dominican Republic’s Professional Baseball League, was also killed, as well as Nelsy Cruz, the sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz.
In response to the deaths, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a statement on Wednesday calling the roof collapse a “tragedy.”
“Major League Baseball is deeply saddened by the passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz, and all the victims of last night’s tragedy in Santo Domingo,” the statement said. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of all those affected, including our colleague Nelson and his entire family. The bond between baseball and the Dominican Republic is strong, and our thoughts are with all Dominican players and fans today.”
Dotel, who pitched in just nine games for the Braves, recorded 12 strikeouts in 7.2 innings. A seasoned pitcher, he played for 13 different teams throughout his 15-year MLB career, with most of his time spent with the Houston Astros. Despite his short time in Atlanta, the Braves honored his memory on social media.
“We join the baseball community in mourning the passing of former Braves pitcher Octavio Dotel,” the team wrote. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends, as well as everyone affected by the tragedy in the Dominican Republic.”
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader also issued a statement regarding the disaster.
“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub,” he posted on social media. “We’ve been monitoring the incident closely and all relief agencies are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families.”
As of Wednesday morning, officials had only been able to identify 32 of the victims, according to the AP.
Leave a Reply