A massive fire destroyed part of the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach resort in Bayahibe, La Altagracia province, Dominican Republic, on Friday, June 19, leaving at least one person dead and forcing the evacuation of nearly 1,700 guests.
The victim was identified as Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old tourist from Caserta, Italy, who died due to smoke inhalation during the incident, according to CNN International.
At least another 10 people received medical attention: three were transported to hospitals and six were treated on site.
The fire spread rapidly through the complex's structures, aided by the natural palm thatch roofs covering areas of the resort and the wind conditions.
Dozens of tourists were forced to leave their rooms and take refuge on the beach while the flames consumed the facilities. "It's really burning now," a witness can be heard saying in a video shared on social media.
Images captured by drones and shared by international media showed large columns of black smoke rising over the Caribbean complex, with orange flames visible at various points of the hotel and tourists fleeing towards the shore. Other videos have provided strong evidence of the destruction caused by the fire at the resort.
The Emergency Operations Center (COE) of the Dominican Republic coordinated the response alongside the fire departments and other institutions of the National System for Prevention, Mitigation, and Response. The evacuated guests were relocated to nearby hotels designated for the emergency.
The hotel Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, from the same chain and located nearby, suffered no damage and continued to operate normally during the incident.
The causes of the fire remain under investigation by Dominican authorities. The COE reported that tourist activities in Bayahibe and its surroundings continued without any incidents following the disaster.
The incident reignited the debate over the use of natural cane in Dominican hotel facilities, as there is fire-resistant synthetic cane available in the market as a safer alternative.
The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach resort is one of the most iconic complexes in the Dominican Caribbean, founded in 1987 as Club Dominicus and especially popular among European and Argentine tourists who visit the Bayahibe area each year.
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