Vigil held to remember 2 New Jersey women killed in DR nightclub collapse
Members of the Dominican community of Union County gathered at the waterfront in Elizabeth in prayer and remembrance of the Jet Set nightclub victims.
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At least two New Jersey women died after last week’s roof collapse at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic. On Monday night, a candlelight vigil was held in Elizabeth to remember the over 200 lives lost.
Members of the Dominican community of Union County gathered at the waterfront in Elizabeth in prayer and remembrance of the Jet Set nightclub victims.
Two New Jersey women were among the dead - Jennifer Contreras, from Passaic, and Antonia Ignacio Douglas, from Perth Amboy. Antonia, known in her Perth Amboy community as Violeta, runs Violeta Unisex, a hair salon on State Street. Her shop was closed on Monday, but the outpouring of love and the indelible mark she made in her community were evident.
Michelle Lucas says she and her son would always stop by the shop to say hello.
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"She was a loving person. She always opened her doors for everybody. It’s sad, so we’re just going to keep her in our prayers and remember her as who she is," Lucas said.
Violeta was in Santo Domingo on vacation when the roof at the popular Jet Set nightclub collapsed killing 226 people.
Kireidys Matista, who lives in Elizabeth just got off a plane Monday afternoon from Santo Domingo, where she had to identify a loved one who was set to move to Elizabeth this summer. The vigil in Elizabeth was her first stop.
"I received the call when they had a body that identified with her, that was hard to hear. My last phone call with her was on Sunday and she was sending me pictures and we got on a video call", Matista said.
Many questions remain unanswered, including whether this could have been prevented.
The Jet Set nightclub is a well-known establishment in Santo Domingo, however, online reviews of the nightclub dating back at least six years suggest issues with the building, particularly the roof.
Jose Javier Torres, from the Dominican American Association of Union County, says there's a lot of speculation.
"It looks like it might have been an air condition unit, and the building is 50 years old. Mix that with the humidity of the Caribbean, it could be a lot of factors, unfortunately," Torres said.
