Authorities said that at least 113 people were killed when a roof collapsed in a nightclub on Tuesday, the capital of Dominican Republic.

Officials confirmed that Rubby Perez was among the deceased.

The Center of Emergency Operations Director, Juan Manuel Mendez, stated that teams are still working on determining the total number of persons who were present at the time of the incident.

The search continues for possible survivors under the rubble of the Jet Set Club in Santo Domingo. He said, “We assume that many of these people are still alive. That is why the authorities will not give in until there is not one person left under this rubble.”

Authorities said that 300 people took part in the search-and-rescue operation.

Rescue crews are still digging out survivors under the debris nearly 12 hours after the top portion of the nightclub fell on patrons. Firefighters lifted heavy debris using sawed wood planks and removed broken blocks of concrete.

Mendez stated, “Rescue crews prioritized three areas within the club.” “We’re Hearing Some Sounds.”

Emergency officials have said that a specialized canine team has been deployed to assist in searching in hard-to-reach areas.

Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, was among the victims. She had called President Luis Abinader at 12:49 a.m., saying she was trapped and that the roof had collapsed, First Lady Raquel Abraje told reporters. Officials said Cruz died later at the hospital.

Abraje said with a broken tone, “This is a great tragedy.”

Cruz’s family released a statement in which they paid tribute to her “legacy of service and love towards others”.

Retired Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel also died in the collapse, the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League confirmed in a statement. Dotel played for more than a dozen teams during his career, including the New York Mets and Yankees, Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, LA Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, and Detroit Tigers, and he helped lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series championship in 2011.

Enrique Paulino confirmed that Rubby Perez died in the tragedy. Rubby was performing when the collapse occurred.

Paulino’s shirt was splattered with blood. He told reporters on the scene that the concert started shortly before midnight and the roof collapsed almost an hour later.

It was unexpected. “I thought it was a tremor, so I covered my head and fell to the ground,” he said. “We tried getting to the area Rubby was in, but there was too much debris there.”

The cause of the collapse was not immediately known. In a press release, the Jet Set club stated that “we are working fully and transparently” with the authorities to assist the victims and explain what happened.

The club stated that the tragedy has “deeply touched the hearts of Jet Set members and Dominicans. We are deeply saddened and shocked by the loss of life. Our prayers are with the families affected in this difficult time. We feel their pain as if we were in the same situation. We are both in mourning.”

On social media, President Abinader stated that all rescue agencies “work tirelessly” to assist those who are affected.

“We deeply regret the tragedy at the Jet Set Nightclub. We have followed the incident minute-by-minute since it happened,” he wrote.

Abinader arrived on the scene, hugging those who were searching for family and friends. Some had tears running down their cheeks.

He told reporters, “We believe God can save even more lives.”

A crowd gathered outside a hospital to yell out the names and read aloud the names of the survivors.

Manuel Olivo Ortiz was one of those waiting anxiously outside the club, which is known for its Monday parties where national and international artists perform.

Olivo: “We are only holding onto God.”

Massiel Cuevas – godmother to Darlenys Battista, 22 years old – was also waiting for word.

“I’m waiting for her. She’s in there, I know she’s in there,” Cuevas said, firm in her belief that Batista would be pulled out alive.