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Wind-Fueled Fire Ravages Dominican Hotel; 1,700 Evacuated
20 Jun
Summary
- A fast-moving fire destroyed a beachfront hotel in the Dominican Republic.
- Strong winds and flammable thatched roofs contributed to the rapid spread.
- One Italian tourist died, and four emergency responders suffered heatstroke.
A significant fire ravaged the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach hotel in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, on Friday. Strong winds exacerbated the blaze, causing the destruction of many buildings with thatched, palm-leaf roofs. Nearly 1,700 guests were evacuated from the resort.
During the incident, one Italian tourist, identified as Francesca Valentino, 45, died at a hospital. Authorities are investigating the cause of death, noting she did not have burns. Four emergency responders experienced heatstroke but are recovering.
Firefighters battled the flames for 17 hours, with the fire being controlled by Saturday afternoon. Guests have been moved to nearby hotels. Preliminary findings suggest wind and the nature of the roofs contributed to the fire's rapid spread. Investigations into the fire's origin are ongoing.
Approximately 285 Italian nationals were present at the hotel. A flight was scheduled to depart on Saturday for 130 of them.
