The sister of an Italian soccer star who works at the luxury Caribbean resort that was ripped apart by a fire has revealed the chaos on the ground as the blaze took hold. 

Sara Calabria, 27, sister of soccer player Davide Calabria, escaped the inferno that took over The Viva Dominicus Bayahibe resort in La Altagracia, Dominican Republic, on Friday.

Calabria, who worked at the hotel, said in a post to her Instagram that guests were approaching her asking if it was safe to retrieve their property from the hotel even as it burned. 

She said: 'I'm fine, we're fine. The entire staff and I have evacuated everyone. Seeing my colleagues and friends safe was what mattered most to me. 

'It pains me to see what has been my workplace, but also my second home, destroyed for the past year. It hurts to see my office reduced to ashes.

'Nothing is more valuable than your life. No object, no material possession. I saw people wanting to go back to their rooms to get their bags or asking if it was possible. Don't risk everything for nothing.'

Calabria also shared footage of the inferno to her social media in which it could be seen taking over a large part of the hotel as guests and staff ran around.  

Her brother Davide currently plays right-back for Greek club Panathinaikos after a long-term spell at Italian side AC Milan.

The fire caused the death of fellow Italian Francesca Valentino, 46, who was killed on Friday, officials confirmed.

According to Rome based outlet Il Messagero, Valentino is originally from Caserta and worked in Rome previously as a dance instructor.

She moved to the Dominican Republic and starred on the TV show 'Mollo Tutto e Cambio Vita', which translates to 'I'm Quitting Everything To Change My Life'. 

Valentino lived in Bayahibe, a small fishing village, and according to her social media married in 2016. She has two daughters. 

The outlet reported that she recently returned to living in Italy and was vacationing at the time of her death. 

Valentino and her brother had quit their jobs in Italy in 2014 to settle in the tourist town. In 2018 she told outlet Casertace how she came to be on the island: 'I left Italy with a two-month plane ticket, but I never went back. 

'I’ve now been living here for four years, found love, got married, and had a daughter, who’s already two years old. I’m happy with my choice; I’d never go back.'

The blaze forced nearly 1,700 guests and staff to flee the area, as fast-spreading flames engulfed the majority of the resort. 

In a statement, the hotel said: 'We are saddened that a guest perished and we send our thoughts to the family, while we await autopsy results to determine the cause.

'All other guests and staff were safely evacuated. At this time the hotel, which is independently owned and operated, is closed and will remain so until further notice.' 

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation with officials saying it 'spread rapidly' due to wind and because part of the resort's roof was made of thatch. 

Emergency services raced to the tourist hotspot, which is operated by Wyndham Resorts, as the flames spiraled out of control on Friday. 

The resort is a popular destination for American tourists, who often share picturesque tropical photos of their trips to the island across social media. 

The hotel is described on its website as an 'all-inclusive paradise' where 'the sun and moon set the stage for nonstop fun', surrounded by 'pristine white sands'. 

It has 692 rooms and offers a variety of entertainment, from restaurants and live music to sports like pickleball, paddleboarding and trapeze lessons. 

A June stay at the resort was an estimated $507 per night for a room for two adults, according to Expedia. 

The resort spills out onto the beach, complete with a large pool close to the sand. 

It has also undergone extensive renovations in the past few years, including common areas and many of its food offerings. 

Famous for its clear water and white sand beaches, the Dominican Republic ⁠is the ​Caribbean's top tourist destination, receiving some ​5.6 million visitors in the first five months of this year.