Former MLB Player Tony Blanco Dies at 43 After Saving a Friend During Nightclub Roof Collapse

As rescue crews continue sifting through the rubble of the collapsed nightclub, families are learning whether their loved ones are among the survivors or the dead.

Former Major League Baseball (MLB) player Tony Blanco has died at the age of 43 following the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub roof in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Blanco was among the victims of the tragic incident, which occurred during a merengue concert attended by politicians, athletes, and other public figures.

Hector Gomez, a respected MLB insider, shared the news on X, "Another terrible news: Former MLB player Tony Blanco, 43, has passed away due to the collapse of the roof of the Jet Set night club in Dominican Republic. He played in 56 games for the #Nationals in 2005. RIP."

In a follow-up post, Gomez relayed a firsthand account from another former MLB player, Esteban Germán, who credited Blanco with saving his life.

According to Germán, he had just returned from the bathroom and was about to sit down when Blanco noticed that part of the ceiling was giving way. Blanco pushed Germán out of harm's way, a selfless act that cost him his life just seconds later.

Blanco's MLB career included a stint with the Washington Nationals in 2005. He later played professionally in Japan, where he found significant success. His legacy now includes his contributions to the sport and the heroic final act that may have saved a life in the tragic accident.

Tributes have poured in following Blanco's death, with the baseball world mourning the loss of a player remembered for his contributions to the sport.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum paid tribute to him on X, penning, "We also mourn the passing of former Nationals player Tony Blanco and join the baseball community in extending condolences following Tuesday morning's tragedy in Santo Domingo."

The Yokohama DeNA Baystars also reflected on Blanco's impact during his two seasons with the team from 2011 to 2013. They wrote, "Thank you for the many moments of excitement and rapture you brought to our fans in Yokohama," adding, "The time we fought together in Yokohama is a treasure to us."

Major League Baseball honored Blanco's legacy, highlighting, "Blanco played in 56 games for the inaugural Washington Nationals team in 2005, including the first game in team history. He played 9 professional seasons in the US and 8 more in Japan's NPB."

The league also extended condolences to his family, including his son, Tony Blanco Jr., currently a player in the Pittsburgh Pirates' Minor League system.

The tragic accident that has claimed Blanco's life occurred early Tuesday morning, April 8. According to authorities, at least 79 lives have been lost and around 160 others injured. Rescue efforts have continued for hours as emergency crews search for survivors beneath the rubble of the one-story Jet Set nightclub.

Juan Manuel Méndez, head of the Center of Emergency Operations, said teams are determined to keep searching. "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 told reporters.

Rescue workers have been laboring tirelessly at the scene, using drills and wooden planks to shift collapsed concrete and debris. The sound of power tools and rescue calls echoed through the air as firefighters and emergency personnel raced against time to locate those still trapped.

Mendez said that emergency responders have focused their search on three key areas inside the venue, guided by faint sounds from beneath the debris. As of the time of publication, among the lives lost was Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister to former MLB star Nelson Cruz.

First Lady Raquel Arbaje revealed that Governor Cruz had called President Luis Abinader shortly before her death, saying she was trapped under the fallen roof. She died later at a hospital. "This is too great a tragedy," Arbaje said.

The Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic also confirmed the death of former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel in a post on X, despite earlier reports indicating he had been rescued from the debris.

Legislator Bray Vargas and merengue icon Rubby Pérez, who was performing at the time, were among the injured. Pérez's manager, Enrique Paulino, who emerged bloodied from the scene, said the roof gave in about an hour after the concert began.

"It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner," he shared, initially believing the rumbling to be an earthquake. The group's saxophonist did not survive.

Authorities have yet to determine what caused the structure to give way. Jet Set, the nightclub at the center of the tragedy, issued a statement saying it was cooperating fully with the investigation. "The loss of human life leaves us in a state of deep pain and dismay," they added.

Outside the Jet Set nightclub, desperation and hope gripped the crowd as loved ones waited for word on those still trapped inside. Among them was Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son had not returned home after attending the concert.

Nearby, Massiel Cuevas clung to hope as she waited for news about her 22-year-old goddaughter, convinced she was still alive beneath the rubble.

Known for its vibrant events featuring top local and international acts, the club had drawn a large crowd that night, many of whom were still unaccounted for hours after the collapse.

The area around the site was filled with anxious family members and friends, some clinging to one another, others silently staring toward the wreckage.

President Abinader visited the scene and comforted those gathered, embracing individuals searching for loved ones.

He also wrote on X that rescuers were working hard to assist those affected, adding, "We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred."

Officials on the ground continued urging the crowd to make room for emergency responders as rescue teams worked non-stop to locate survivors.

Amid the chaos, a voice over a megaphone pleaded for cooperation, reminding people that efforts to remove the injured were still underway. As night turned to morning, the uncertainty weighed heavily on the community, with many refusing to leave until they had answers.

The country, united in grief and hope, watched as the search for survivors pressed on. Meanwhile, at a nearby hospital treating the injured, tension filled the air as an official read aloud the names of survivors.

A crowd pressed closer, voices rising as relatives anxiously shouted back the names of those they hoped had made it out alive.

Elsewhere in the capital, dozens gathered at the National Institute of Forensic Pathology, where images of the deceased were projected on a screen for identification.

The grim task unfolded quietly as families searched for familiar faces, clinging to the last thread of certainty in a day marked by confusion and heartbreak.