Singer in nightclub collapse sang to help rescuers find him under rubble

The search for survivors has now ended

Rescuers confirmed the search for survivors at Jet Set Club in the Dominican Republic’s capital Santo Domingo would end yesterday, with the official death toll now at 184 – but still expected to rise.

Dozens gathered at the site as they waited anxiously for news on their missing loved ones.

At the time of the incident, there was live music playing and it was later revealed that musician Rubby Pérez was crushed by the roof of a nightclub and sang to rescue workers to help them find him before he died from his injuries.

Hours passed and it was unclear if he was still alive until he could be heard singing under the rubble.

His daughter Zulinka said: "It was because he was trapped singing that they found him."

Pérez later died in hospital. Local media called him ‘the loudest voice of merengue’, a style of music described as ‘the DNA of the homeland’.

Rescuers have spent two days pulling bodies and survivors from mangled metal and crushed concrete before it was announced on Wednesday that they would end the search.

Among the dead were former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, along with Pérez’s saxophone player, Luis Solis.

Blanco reportedly saved his friend and former teammate Esteban Germán in the moments before he died, according to local reporter Héctor Gómez.

Gómez said: "[Germán] was returning from the bathroom and, before sitting down at the table, Tony Blanco pushed him when he realized part of the ceiling was about to fall on him.

"Unfortunately, Blanco didn’t suffer the same fate as Germán and died seconds later."

Footage of the incident circulated on social media showing Pérez on stage belting notes while the audience dance, right up until the roof collapsed.

The video then cuts out, with the last thing audible is revellers screams.

Provincial governor Nelsy Cruz – the sister of another MLB star Nelson Cruz – was among those who were trapped before succumbing to her injuries. She called the president to alert him.

Her family said: "She served in life with dedication, commitment, and love for her people and her community."

It is not yet clear what caused the roof collapse at Jet Set, which caught fire in 2023 after lightning struck its power supply.

In a statement, the club said: "The loss of life leaves us in a state of profound pain and dismay.

"In this difficult time, our prayers are with each of the affected families. We share their pain as if it were our own because we are also in mourning.

"We are collaborating fully and transparently with the relevant authorities to assist the victims and clarify what happened."

President Luis Abinader wrote on X: "We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have followed the case minute by minute since it happened.

"All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families."