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

As rescue crews continue sifting through the rubble of the collapsed Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, families anxiously await news of their loved ones—whether among the survivors or the dead.

Former Major League Baseball player Tony Blanco, 43, was confirmed among the victims of the tragic roof collapse, which occurred during a merengue concert attended by numerous public figures, including politicians and athletes. Blanco reportedly died while heroically trying to save a friend from the falling debris.

The Dominican-born athlete was remembered not only for his professional achievements on the field but also for his selfless actions in his final moments. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community and the wider sports world.

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 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 not only his contributions to the sport but also the heroic final act that may have saved a life in the tragic accident.

Tributes Pour In Following the Death of Tony Blanco

Tributes have poured in from across the baseball world following the tragic death of Tony Blanco, a former Major League and Nippon Professional Baseball player, whose contributions to the sport are being fondly remembered.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum paid tribute to Blanco on X, writing:
“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, where Blanco played from 2011 to 2013, also reflected on his impact:
“Thank you for the many moments of excitement and rapture you brought to our fans in Yokohama,” the team wrote. “The time we fought together in Yokohama is a treasure to us.”

Major League Baseball honored Blanco’s legacy, noting:
“Blanco played in 56 games for the inaugural Washington Nationals team in 2005, including the first game in team history. He played nine professional seasons in the U.S. and eight more in Japan’s NPB.”
The league also extended its condolences to Blanco’s family, including his son, Tony Blanco Jr., who currently plays in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Minor League system.

Blanco tragically lost his life in a devastating accident early Tuesday morning, April 8, in Santo Domingo, when a one-story structure—the Jet Set nightclub—collapsed. According to authorities, at least 79 people have been confirmed dead, and around 160 others have been injured. Rescue efforts have been ongoing for hours, as emergency crews continue to search for survivors beneath the rubble.

Juan Manuel Méndez, head of the Center of Emergency Operations, emphasized the urgency of the mission:
“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 clear collapsed concrete and debris. The air echoed with the whir of power tools and desperate rescue calls as firefighters and emergency personnel raced against time to locate survivors still trapped beneath the rubble.

According to Mendez, emergency crews have focused their search on three key areas inside the venue, guided by faint sounds still coming from below the debris. As of publication, one of the confirmed casualties was Nelsy Cruz, governor of Montecristi province and sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz.

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

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

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 wreckage—recounted that the roof collapsed about an hour after the concert began.

“It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner,” he said, initially mistaking the rumble for an earthquake. Tragically, the band’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 offered comfort to those gathered, embracing individuals who had been searching for loved ones.

He also wrote on X that rescuers were working hard to 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.