Pedro Martinez shares emotional message as family remains buried under deadly Dominican Nightclub collapse | MLB News

Pedro Martinez shares emotional message as family remains buried under deadly Dominican Nightclub collapse (Image Source: X)

Early Tuesday, April 8, 2025, was a tragic day in terms of accidents. In the Santo Domingo Jet Set nightclub, one of the biggest nightclubs in the Dominican Republic, there was a massive turnout of people for a night of music performance. The night, which was supposed to be “nice,” was witnessed to turn disastrous. Baseball icon Pedro Martinez later disclosed that part of his immediate family was in the nightclub when the roof collapsed.

Pedro Martínez voices out as search is ongoing for missing relatives

Pedro Martinez, the most famous Major League Baseball player in history, posted a poignant message on Instagram Tuesday night. He stated, “I still have relatives that are still in the rubble and we don’t know what happened to them.”
The Jet Set nightclub roof caved in at approximately 12:44 AM local time when Rubby Perez, a Dominican artist, was performing a live concert. Local rescue personnel arrived promptly on the site and set in motion rescue efforts, using thermal imaging cameras and trained dogs to search for survivors.
Martinez, who is Dominican, stated he is still resisting and praying for the people who are still stuck. He also criticized other families who were victims of the tragedy.
“We’re all sad, we’re all affected by the tragedy. We’re a country that prays a lot and stays united,” he said. Rescue teams continue to dig through the rubble, and officials believe there may still be people alive underneath.

Rubby Pérez, Octavio Dotel, and Tony Blanco among the dead

Numerous individuals came to the nightclub to watch Rubby Perez sing on Monday evening. He was a popular singer in the Dominican Republic. Rubby Perez perished in the collapse, as did a number of his band members. His saxophone player was killed, with the bassist rescued alive but with a broken leg.
The tragedy also claimed three ex-Major League Baseball players. Octavio Dotel, a 13-team MLB player with a 15-year career, was buried under the debris. First responders managed to dig him out, but he was unconscious and pronounced dead at the hospital.
Tony Blanco, an ex-first baseman for the Washington Nationals, also perished. Seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz was also at the nightclub, although it has not been confirmed if he was injured.
At least 124 dead have been confirmed, and hundreds more are in hospitals. The Dominican government has declared national mourning. The search operations are ongoing, and Pedro Martínez hopes to hear some news about his loved ones.
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