BAYAHIBE, Dominican Republic — An Italian tourist died in a massive fire that ravaged a luxury beach resort in the southeastern Dominican Republic on Friday, forcing the evacuation of nearly 1,700 guests, authorities said.
The blaze broke out at the Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham resort in Bayahibe, a popular destination for international tourists on the country’s Caribbean coast, officials reported. The victim was identified as Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian woman, according to Dominican emergency services and local authorities.
Dominican authorities said firefighters from multiple units responded to the scene as flames spread rapidly through the property, which features palm-thatched roofs. Nearly 1,700 guests, including many children, were safely evacuated, the country’s Emergency Operations Center reported. Tourists were later relocated to nearby hotels in Punta Cana and Bayahibe.
General Manuel Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Center, said authorities were investigating the cause of the fire and the circumstances of the woman’s death. Details about how Valentino died remained unclear on Saturday, though Italian media reported she suffered a respiratory crisis after rushing to the beach area.
Local authorities confirmed the death to the Italian embassy, according to reports. Valentino, originally from Caserta, Italy, had lived in the Bayahibe area for several years before returning as a tourist, Italian news outlets said.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts expressed condolences for the loss in a statement and confirmed that all guests had been relocated. The resort, which has around 700 rooms, sustained extensive damage and remained closed pending the investigation.
Italian Tourism Minister Gianmarco Mazzi described the incident as an “unacceptable tragedy” in comments reported by media.
The total number of injuries was not immediately clear, with reports indicating several guests required medical attention. Authorities said the fire was brought under control, and no other fatalities were reported.
Tourism is a key economic sector in the Dominican Republic, and the southeastern coast around Bayahibe attracts large numbers of visitors from Europe and North America. Officials said operations in the broader area continued normally on Saturday.
Investigations into the fire’s origin were ongoing, with no official determination released as of Saturday afternoon.
