Fire ravaged a popular luxury beach resort Friday, June 19, in the Dominican Republic and killed at least one tourist.
The large fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in Bayahibe, about 85 miles east of Santo Domingo, led to the evacuation of nearly 1,700 tourists, staff, and contractors at the property, which was operating at close to 84% occupancy at the time, authorities said in a statement.
Three people were taken to medical facilities and six others were treated at the scene, the DAEH emergency service said in a statement to Reuters. Those affected included guests, visitors and emergency responders. Hotel guests were transferred to nearby hotels.
Francesca Valentino, 46, of Caserta, Italy, was killed. She had lived for several years in Bayahibe, where she met her husband. She had returned to visit and had joined tourists gathered on the beach when the fire broke out. She lost consciousness from smoke inhalation and later died, the Italian newspaper La Stampa reported.
Dark plumes of smoke could be seen above the resort compound along the Caribbean coastline. Flames overwhelmed the thatched roofs of a main building and numerous smaller ones.
The fire was brought under control and is under investigation. “Preliminary observations indicate that the fire spread rapidly due to the flammable nature of parts of the roof structures made of palm, as well as wind conditions,” the country’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) said.
The COE and “various regional fire departments contained the fire,” Wyndham Hotels and Resorts said in a statement to USA TODAY. “Hotel teams safely evacuated guests and staff. However, we are saddened that one guest perished, and we send our thoughts to the family while we await autopsy results to determine the cause. At this time the hotel, which is independently owned and operated, is closed and will remain so until further notice.”
The nearby Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, also part of the chain, which has about 8,400 hotels, did not sustain any damage.
“From the very first moment, emergency mechanisms were activated to protect human life,” said Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Emergency Operations Center, in a statement to USA TODAY. “Effective coordination between authorities, response agencies, and hotel staff allowed for the safe evacuation of 1,690 people, demonstrating the preparedness and response capacity that the Dominican Republic maintains for situations of this nature.”
Famous for its clear water and white sand beaches, the Dominican Republic is the Caribbean’s top tourist destination, attracting about 5.6 million visitors in the first five months of this year.
“Tourist activities in Bayahibe and the surrounding area remain unaffected and continue to take place safely and as normal,” COE added.
Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
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