Firemen secured a nightclub following a roof collapse in the Dominican Republic that killed at least 79 people.

The incident occurred at the Jet Set Club in Santo Domingo in the early hours of April 8, during a concert reportedly attended by politicians, athletes, and other prominent personalities.

Authorities from the National Emergency System confirmed that at least 79 revellers were killed and 220 injured when the ceiling caved in around 12:45 am.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel was among the victims. Dotel reportedly died on the way to the hospital after being pulled from the rubble.

Firemen deployed heavy equipment to search for potential survivors in the debris.

Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Center for Emergency Operations, said: 'We continue clearing debris and searching for people. We're going to search tirelessly for people.'

Officials reported that 22 public institutions are at the site to assist with the rescue efforts.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation.