N.J. Lady Celebrating Her Birthday, NYC Artwork Supplier Killed in Dominican Nightclub Roof Collapse

• A New Jersey lady celebrating her birthday, an artwork seller and her COO husband are among the not too long ago recognized casualties from the Dominican Republic nightclub roof collapse
• 24-year-old Jennifer Contreras of Passaic, N.J., and Elvira Malkic and Hakim Boubazine, a New York Metropolis-based married couple, are the newest to be publicly recognized
• The loss of life toll within the accident had reached greater than 200, authorities say

A New Jersey lady celebrating her birthday, an artwork seller and former COO are among the many over 200 individuals who have been killed within the Dominican Republic when the roof of a nightclub collapsed throughout a live performance.

Based on reviews from NJ.com and the New York Put up, 24-year-old Jennifer Contreras of Passaic, New Jersey was amongst these killed within the lethal Jet Set nightclub incident in Santo Domingo.

Contreras’ physique was discovered by first responders beneath the rubble round 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9 night time, her sister Luz Contreras informed NJ.com. Luz informed the outlet that her sister was celebrating her birthday on the membership, and had traveled to the Dominican Republic to acquire a microblading certification to work at her sister’s nail salon.

“Everyone knew, everyone who is aware of us, knew, she was my finest good friend, my associate in crime, we all the time did all the pieces collectively,” Contreras’ sister informed the outlet. “She didn’t have any haters. Together with her, it was all love. Everybody liked her. I like her and I miss her a lot.”

Moreover, the Put up reviews that Elvira Malkic and Hakim Boubazine, a New York Metropolis-based married couple, have been additionally contained in the Jet Set nightclub when its rooftop got here down.

Malkic, a mother of three, co-owned the Elity Artwork Gallery on fifth Avenue in N.Y.C., per the outlet, and Boubazine served because the COO of Altice USA, a telecommunications firm, till 2021.

The Elity Artwork Instagram web page posted a tribute to Malkic, calling her “a real visionary who superior undiscovered creative expertise” and “an angel despatched to Earth.”

“We’re heartbroken for the households of all these misplaced on this devastating occasion, and our ideas and prayers exit to the family members of the Boubazine household,” Altice informed PEOPLE in an announcement.

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Additionally among the many lifeless was Rubby Pérez, the merengue singer who was performing on the night time membership when its roof collapsed. He was 69.

Enrique Paulino, Pérez’s supervisor, confirmed the information to PEOPLE after Rolling Stone and Listín Diario reported on his loss of life. Pérez’s Instagram profile image was additionally modified to black. His funeral was held on Thursday, April 10, per his Instagram account.

Additionally among the many confirmed deceased are Tony Blanco, a former Main League Baseball participant and father of present Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Tony Blanco Jr., in addition to former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel. NBC Boston additionally reported that Massachusetts restaurant proprietor Fray Luis Rosario died.

Nelsy Cruz, governor of northwestern Dominican Republic province of Montecristi and sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz, died. Based on Rolling Stone, a saxophonist acting on stage with Pérez can be lifeless.

The tragedy befell within the early hours of Tuesday on the Jet Set in Santo Domingo — and in a sequence of updates, native authorities confirmed that the loss of life toll continued to develop all through the day. Based mostly on the newest info, at the least 221 folks have died as of Friday, April 11.

Emergency responders additionally introduced that they have been now not trying to find survivors amid the ruins of the membership, in keeping with reporting by The Guardian. They introduced that they might shift their focus to recovering our bodies after exhausting “all affordable potentialities of discovering extra survivors.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded to the tragedy on X, confirming {that a} U.S. citizen and “U.S. Authorized Everlasting Residents” have been among the many lifeless.