Guests of a luxury hotel marred by fire in the Dominican Republic have been left stranded after last Friday’s horror blaze saw their passports and other important travel documents reduced to ash.
For the nearly 1,700 guests evacuated last week from the Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham, it would seem that the nightmare isn’t over after fleeing Friday’s shock inferno that left one holidaymaker dead.
Hotel staff at the stricken-luxury resort are now rushing to help guests left stranded after the blaze. Hotel executive Amanda Santana told the Daily Mail: “Unfortunately, they lost their identity documents, including their passports. We have been coordinating with the embassies and governments of those countries to facilitate the entry of those guests.”
Hotel staff are now working with police and local authorities to help those in need and get those stranded in the crucial paperwork needed to return home.
View 3 ImagesShocking footage showed thick plumes of smoke billowing above the Viva Dominicus Bayahibe resort in the Dominican Republic on Friday(Image: X)
It is unclear how many guests among the 1,700-or-so evacuees lost travel documents or other items in the fire.
Emergency crews were called to the independently owned and operated Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel last Friday following reports a fire had broken out. Italian holidaymaker and reality TV star Francesca Valentino, 46, perished while three others were taken to hospital for treatment.
Six others, encompassing guests, visitors and emergency responders, received treatment at the scene last Friday.
In a statement put out by resort chain Viva by Wyndham the day after the fire, staff shared their condolences in the wake of Ms Valentino’s passing.
“We are saddened that a guest perished and we send our thoughts to the family, while we await autopsy results to determine the cause,” a Viva by Wyndham spokesperson said.
“All other guests and staff were safely evacuated. At this time the hotel, which is independently owned and operated, is closed and will remain so until further notice. “
Hundreds of tourists have since been relocated to nearby hotels and alternative lodgings after last Friday’s shock blaze. Harrowing footage circulated by local media depicted thick black smoke billowing across the Caribbean coastline as large portions of the resort, including its thatched roof, were consumed by the fire as firefighters wrestled the flames under control.
The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Centre (COE) said preliminary findings suggested the fire spread rapidly because of strong winds and the flammable palm roofing used in parts of the complex.
The Dominican Republic is the Caribbean’s most visited tourist destination, attracting more than 5.6 million visitors during the first five months of this year.
The hotel, situated in what was once a tranquil fishing village, now stands in a thriving tourist hotspot in the Caribbean nation that has managed to preserve much of its peaceful character.
Viva undertook major refurbishments in recent years, transforming communal spaces and dining options while maintaining shared facilities with its sister property, Dominicus Beach. The pair of resorts dominate much of the seafront in Dominicus.
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View 3 ImagesA woman was killed(Image: X)
Residents took to social media to suggest the inferno was beyond the capabilities of the first emergency crews on scene, with the huge flames proving difficult to suppress despite firefighters’ efforts.
“Help. The Dominicus hotel, in Bayahibe, is being affected by a fire. Although fire trucks are already on the scene, the magnitude of the blaze exceeds the available equipment and greater support is required with higher-impact units to fully extinguish it,” one user posted on X alongside footage showing thick black smoke billowing from the resort hotel.