Former Mets pitcher narrowly escapes death in Venezuela earthquakes thanks to elevator malfunction

Thousands are feared dormant successful Venezuela aft 2 monolithic earthquakes, but a erstwhile MLB pitcher is 1 of the fortunate ones.

Jenrry Mejia, who present pitches successful the Venezuelan Major League, said that divine involution successful an elevator saved his beingness during the earthquakes.

Speaking to a Dominican vigor station, Mejia said helium had conscionable finished moving retired astatine the Hotel Eduards successful La Guaira when, alternatively of going to the level wherever helium was staying, the elevator took him to the lobby, allowing him to escape.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Jenrry Mejia of the New York Mets pitches against the Cincinnati Reds astatine Citi Field successful New York City connected April 4, 2014. The Mets defeated the Reds 4-3. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

"I was successful the gym area. And astatine that moment, I took the elevator to leave," Mejia told "Mañana Deportiva."

"In fact, I had pressed fig 6, which was wherever my level was. But … I deliberation it was God due to the fact that alternatively of going up, it went down to the basement," helium continued. "The doorway opened straight into the lobby. That’s erstwhile I came retired and the gathering started to collapse."

Mejia helped an older antheral retired of the edifice and believes the 2 of them are the lone ones to marque it retired of the edifice alive.

Jenrry Mejia pitches successful the ninth inning for his 28th prevention against the Washington Nationals successful crippled 1 of a doubleheader astatine Nationals Park successful Washington, D.C., connected Sept. 25, 2014. The Mets won 7-4. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

PLAYERS, FANS FLEE STADIUM AS POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES STRIKE DURING VENEZUELA BASEBALL GAME

"The others are inactive there, trapped under the rubble," helium said.

The hotel, according to the New York Post, citing section reports, was hosting the families of players and unit members from the Delfines and the Guerreros de Lara shot teams, with relatives of erstwhile MLB players Eliezer Alfonso and Gorkys Hernández missing.

Mejia pitched parts of 5 seasons for the New York Mets, becoming their person successful 2014, 1 twelvemonth earlier they made it to the World Series. However, helium yet became the archetypal shot subordinate to beryllium banned from Major League Baseball for beingness for violating its performance-enhancing cause policy.

Responders hunt for victims successful a demolished gathering successful Caracas, Venezuela, aft a magnitude 7.2 earthquake and a 7.5 aftershock struck the portion connected June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Mejia was suspended for 80 games for his archetypal discourtesy successful 2015. After pitching successful 7 games, helium tested affirmative again and was fixed a 162-game suspension. The pursuing February, helium tested affirmative for a 3rd time, prompting his ban. He has since applied for and been granted reinstatement but has not pitched successful the large leagues since. He did play minor-league shot for the Boston Red Sox organization.

The decease toll has risen to 589 with thousands reported missing.

Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic earlier this year.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.