An Italian tourist has died and almost 1,700 tourists have been evacuated after a large fire tore through a luxury resort in the Dominican Republic.
The blaze broke out at the Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham in Bayahibe on Friday. The resort, located on the Caribbean. country’s southeastern coast, is a popular destination for US and international tourists.
Authorities said Francesca Valentino, 46, died in the fire and that around 1,690 tourists had to be evacuated from the resort to other hotels and nearby housing facilities because of the massive blaze.
The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Centre said it appeared the “fire spread rapidly” due to wind and because part of the resort’s roof was made of thatch. The fire has since been brought under control.
Viva Wyndham’s other nearby resort, the Dominicus Palace, was not damaged by the fire and was operating as normal, the centre said.
Article continues below
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link. You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage.