SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, June 20 (Our Florida Times) — A fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in Bayahibe, on the Dominican Republic’s southeastern coast, forced the evacuation of 1,690 tourists on Friday and left one Italian visitor dead, emergency officials said.
The Dominican Republic Directorate of Out-of-Hospital Emergency Services identified the victim as Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian national. The agency said at least nine other people were treated for injuries, and three were taken to off-site medical facilities.
The Dominican Republic Emergency Operations Center said the blaze was contained and that guests were moved to alternative accommodations. It said tourism activity in Bayahibe and the surrounding area continued as normal.
Officials said wind and the flammable palm and thatched roof structures at the resort helped the fire spread quickly.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said hotel teams evacuated guests and staff and that the property will remain closed until further notice. The company said the hotel operates independently.
The nearby Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace was not damaged and was operating normally, authorities said.
