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UPDATE: As of early Wednesday, the death toll had increased to 98 people, with at least 160 injured.
ORIGINAL REPORT BELOW:
Over five dozen people were tragically killed and another 150 were injured just after midnight Tuesday morning, when the roof of a packed nightclub in the Dominican Republican collapsed during a concert.
The roof collapse occurred at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo as popular singer, Rubby Pérez, was in the middle of a performance. He was pulled alive from the rubble, and said later, “It happened so quickly. I managed to throw myself into a corner.”
However, the music group’s saxophonist was reportedly among those crushed to death.
Rescuers were seen working in the dark, frantically trying to dig people out from under the piles of steel and concrete. As of Tuesday evening, the death toll has risen to 66.
From the Daily Mail: Former Major League Baseball star Tony Blanco has died after a nightclub ceiling collapsed on him.
Blanco, 44, is the second ex-MLB player confirmed dead in the disaster at the Jet Set club in Santo Domingo at 12.44am local time on Tuesday. He played for the Washington Nationals in 2005 before spending eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.
Blanco’s son, Tony Blanco Jr, 19, is a minor league player for the Bradenton Marauders after being signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022.
Octavio Dotel was the other MLB player killed in the ceiling collapse.
Heroic final act of MLB star Tony Blanco revealed before he was killed in nightclub collapse
More from the Daily Mail: Former Major League Baseball star Tony Blanco was killed when he tried to save his friend and former baseball player Esteban German being hit by falling debris, it has been revealed.
German was returning to his table from the bathroom when Blanco pushed him out the way of a part of the falling ceiling, according to the distinguished Dominican Republic baseball reporter Hector Gomez.
Blanco, 43, was killed in the tragic accident but German, 47, miraculously survived.
Another fatality victim has been identified as Nelsy M. Cruz Martínez, the governor of the Montecristi province. She is the sister of retired Major League Baseball star Nelson Cruz.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred released a statement on the passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, and Nelsy Cruz:
Commissioner Manfred issued the following statement today regarding the
passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, and Nelsy Cruz in Tuesday morning’s tragedy in Santo Domingo: pic.twitter.com/hzEgQeLO0t— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) April 8, 2025
Videos have been shared on social media of the horrifying moment the roof came crashing down, right in the middle of the concert.
Tragedy hit hard in the Dominican Republic after a nightclub roof came crashing down on partygoers — leaving 18 dead and over 120 injured in the chaos.
Read the story HERE: https://t.co/dKitCkEwR4 pic.twitter.com/9dVLo2SL8t
— TMZ (@TMZ) April 8, 2025
🚨World Series champion missing after nightclub ceiling collapse that killed at least 27
Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel is among dozens of people missing after a roof collapsed and killed 27 at a popular night club in the Dominican Republic.
The incident took place… pic.twitter.com/KVUcK76cn5
— Grifty (@TheGriftReport) April 8, 2025
Nelsy Milagro Cruz Martínez, gobernadora de la provincia Montecristi y hermana del expelotero de Grandes Ligas, Nelson Cruz, fue una de las personas que murió tras el desplome del techo de la discoteca JetSet en República Dominicana. pic.twitter.com/TEjQrSbBZm
— Molusco (@Moluskein) April 8, 2025
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. pic.twitter.com/mPOhCsjq6L
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) April 8, 2025
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