The devastating nightclub roof disaster in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday is churning out one casualty after another. Who would have thought that a night of music would turn into a disaster? Reportedly, 124 people were killed in the disaster, including athletes. Rescue efforts are still on, with hundreds suspected to be still missing under the rubble. This includes the family members of Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez. The heartbreaking update came from him on Tuesday night. What is the latest update now?

The incident happened at the famous Jet Set Club in Santo Domingo. The club was crowded with government officials, professional athletes, and singers on Tuesday, which was hosting a vibrant merengue music night. It was all going fine until the dust started to fall from the ceiling and into people’s drinks. The entire roof fell a few minutes later. While the exact reasons for the accident are still unknown, investigations are on. The focus is now on rescuing those trapped. Martinez is also looking at the same.

Martinez, a 3x Cy Young Award winner and 8x All-Star, has a history with the Dominican Republic, having grown up in Santo Domingo. But this time, the history got stained. “I still have family members that are still in the rubbles, and we don’t know what happened to them,” Martinez said in a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday night. The former Red Sox pitcher shared how his family was enjoying the night in the club just when the disaster struck. However, no casualty has been officially reported for any of Martinez’s family members, and all are suspected of missing.

The authorities and evacuation teams are working overnight but families of those missing are getting impatient. Despite that, officials are urging them to be calm. As per reports, 250 injured have been rescued and undergoing treatment already, while 28 bodies have been delivered to their respective families. Considering the scale of the incident, it will take some time for the rescue efforts to end.

In an official statement, the club said it was coordinating and working with the police. A proper investigation report is expected soon. While Pedro Martinez is still awaiting confirmation about the status of his family members, quite a few more former MLB players and their families have been impacted by this tragedy.

The tragedy struck MLB beyond Martinez

As per the reports, among the deceased were former MLB utility player Tony Blanco and former pitching legend Octavio Dotel. The untimely demise of Dotel came as a shock for many legends like David Ortiz. “He was a person whom everyone loved. It’s very hard, very hard, truly,” said Ortiz about his former Red Sox mate. Dotel was a member of the 2011 World Series-winning team of the Cardinals. He is also one of the few players to have played with 13 teams in MLB. A record unbroken till 2019.

In addition, Nelsy Cruz, the sister of 7x MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz is also on the casualty list. She was the governor of the Monte Cristi province of the republic. In a turn of events, Nelsy reportedly didn’t shy away from her duties even after getting trapped under the rubble. She was the first one to call President Luis Abinader, alerting him about the disaster. And while she was rescued, Nelsy succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital. Nelson Cruz, brother of Nelsy Cruz was a former slugger with the Rangers, Brewers, and Mariners.

“With deep sorrow, the Cruz Martinez family reports the passing of our beloved sister, mother, daughter, aunt, and friend, Nelsey Cruz Martinez, who in life served with dedication, commitment, and love for her people and community,” read the official statement by Nelson in Spanish, on behalf of the Cruz family. So yes, a big loss from this tragedy for the entire MLB community.

The MLB has lost a few good names. While players like Blanco and Dotel will always be remembered for their on-field brilliance, Nelsy Cruz deserves all praise for her heroic efforts. Rest in Peace, legends.