Fire at Dominican Republic resort kills, evacuates 1,690

A large fire at a luxury beach resort in the Dominican Republic on Friday killed one person, injured several others, and forced the evacuation of nearly 1,700 guests and staff. The blaze broke out at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach resort in the popular tourist town of Bayahibe.

The victim was identified as a 46-year-old Italian tourist, Francesca Valentino, who died at the scene. At least nine other people were injured, according to officials. Three of those injured were transported to area hospitals, while six others, including guests and emergency personnel, were treated on site.

The fire began around 11 a.m. local time and quickly engulfed parts of the resort, with dramatic video showing thick black smoke and flames consuming palm-thatched roofs. Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before bringing it under control. The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) stated that the fire spread rapidly due to the highly flammable cane material used in a portion of the resort’s roof, combined with windy conditions.

Approximately 1,690 guests were evacuated from the resort and relocated to other hotels and nearby housing facilities. The adjacent Viva Wyndham...