Former St. Louis Cardinals reliever Octavio Dotel is confirmed to be among the dead at a Dominican Republic nightclub roof collapse.
Dotel was initially found alive in the rubble of the club, but died while being transported to the hospital according to a Dominican newspaper.
Dotel, a longtime journeyman pitcher, played for 13 teams in his career, including the Cardinals in their 2011 World Series Championship season. He appeared in 29 games for the redbirds after they acquired him in a mid season trade with the Blue Jays.
The latest on the roof collapse from the Associated Press:
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — At least 44 people died and 160 others were injured in the Dominican capital early Tuesday when the roof collapsed at an iconic nightclub where politicians, athletes and others were attending a merengue concert, authorities said.
Crews were searching for potential survivors in the rubble at the one-story Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations.
“We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,” he said.
At the scene, firefighters removed blocks of broken concrete and sawed planks of wood to use them as planks to lift heavy debris as the noise of drills breaking through concrete filled the air.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse.
Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the concert but did not return home, was among those anxiously waiting outside the club known for its traditional parties held on Monday where renowned national and international artists perform.
“We're holding on only to God,” Olivo said.
An official with a megaphone stood outside the club imploring the large crowd that had gathered to search for friends and relatives to give ambulances space.