Former Braves player among dozens killed in roof collapse at Dominican Republic nightclub

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Octavio Dotel, a former Atlanta Braves player, was among the 79 people killed inside a nightclub in the Dominican Republic when the roof collapsed.

Officials initially said Dotel, 51, was rescued from the debris and transported to a hospital, but spokesman Satosky Terrero from the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic confirmed to The Associated Press that Dotel died later Tuesday.

The Braves issued a statement on Dotel’s ing.

“We the baseball community in mourning the ing of former Braves pitcher Octavio Dotel,” the team said on X, formerly Twitter. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends, as well as everyone affected by the tragedy in the Dominican Republic.”

The Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League issued a statement saying in part “May his soul rest in peace.” They said Dotel was inducted into the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame.

Dotel signed with the New York Mets in 1993 as an amateur free agent and made his major league debut in 1999. A starter early in his career, he turned into a reliable and at times dominant reliever while appearing in 758 games from 1999-2013.

Dotel spent part of the 2007 season with the Braves. He ed the Braves after being traded by the Royals for pitcher Kyle Davies.

He pitched for 13 Major League teams in his career.

Dotel finished his major league career with 1,143 strikeouts in 951 innings, a magnificent rate of 10.8 per nine innings. He had a career 59-50 record, 109 saves and 3.78 ERA.

RELATED: A look back at Dotel’s baseball career

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.

Nearly 12 hours after the top of the nightclub collapsed down onto patrons, rescue crews were still pulling out survivors from the debris. 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.

Jet Set issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities. “The loss of human life leaves us in a state of deep pain and dismay,” it said.

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 she died later at the hospital.

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