Dominican Republic nightclub disaster: Death toll rises to 124

The death toll in the collapse of the roof of a packed Dominican Republic nightclub has increased to 124, emergency services said on Wednesday.Announcing the new toll, Juan Manuel Mendez, director of Emergency Operations said rescue workers had "24 to 36 hours left" to try to find survivors under the rubble.Renowned Dominican merengue singer Rubby Perez, who was on stage at the popular Jet Set nightclub when the roof caved in shortly after midnight, was one of those caught up in the calamity.

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Emergency workers said the 69-year-old was among dozens of people trapped in the rubble, some of whom were heard crying for help.Several Dominican media outlets later reported that Perez had been found dead but Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Emergency Operations Center, said forensics experts had "not confirmed that they found the body."More than 370 rescue personnel combed mounds of fallen bricks, steel bars and tin sheets for survivors.

Among the dead was 51-year-old retired MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who won a World Series in 2011 with the St Louis Cardinals.He was rescued alive but died of his injuries while being taken to hospital, local media reported.A black-and-white photo of the player and images of the Dominican flag were projected onto the scoreboard at Citi Field in New York before Tuesday's game between the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins.