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.
Blanco 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 that has claimed the lives of at least 58 people and left 160 injured.
Blanco played for the Washington Nationals in 2005 before spending eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.
Octavio Dotel was the other MLB player killed in the incident. Earlier on Tuesday, he was reported as having been rescued from the rubble after screaming for help.
Tony Blanco was killed trying to save his friend from falling debris in the nightclub collapse
At least 48 people were killed by the roof collapse during an event a Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Both Octavio Dotel (R) and the sister of ex-MLB star Nelson Cruz (left) were among those killed
However, Dotel’s brother Angel told El Nuevo Diario newspaper that he died before being pulled from underneath the debris.
Dotel, who won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, had been heard screaming for help by first responders, according to Dominican television station Supercanal.
Dotel pitched for 13 teams across a career that spanned 15 seasons in the majors. He was 59-50 with a 3.79 ERA and 109 saves in 758 games, including 34 starts.
Nelsy Cruz, the sister of former MLB slugger Nelson Cruz, also died in the collapse.
German, meanwhile, was a second baseman for teams including the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics, while Blanco played for the likes of the Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
MLB released a statement on Tuesday evening saying: ‘MLB is deeply saddened by the passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz, and all the victims of last night’s tragedy in Santo Domingo.
‘We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of all those who have been affected and to our colleague Nelson and his entire family.
‘The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today.’
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