A woman has been killed and nearly 1,700 tourists evacuated after a major fire broke out at a hotel in the Dominican Republic’s beach resort of Bayahibe, local authorities said on Friday, News.Az reports, citing CNN.
Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian woman, died in the blaze at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel, according to a statement from the DAEH emergency service.
Three people were taken to medical facilities, while six others received treatment at the scene, DAEH said. Those affected included hotel guests, visitors, and emergency responders.
Videos shared by local media showed thick clouds of dark smoke rising above the Caribbean coastline as flames spread through the resort’s thatched roof.
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 20, 2026A massive fire has ripped through a Dominican Republic beach resort, killing one tourist and forcing the evacuation of almost 1,700 other guests.
Authorities are investigating the cause and say the blaze spread quickly due to high winds and the resort's flammable palm roof. pic.twitter.com/bOexilIdab
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
“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.
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, which franchises some 8,400 hotels worldwide, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The fire was brought under control but its causes were still being investigated, the operations center said. Guests were moved to nearby hotels. The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, part of the same chain, did not sustain any damage.
“Tourist activities in Bayahibe and the surrounding area remain unaffected and continue to take place safely and as normal,” COE added.
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.
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。