SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, June 20 (Our Florida Times) — A fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, killed one tourist, injured at least nine others and forced authorities to evacuate 1,690 guests from the resort, officials said Friday.
The Dominican Republic’s Directorate of Out-of-Hospital Emergency Services identified the person who died as Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian tourist. The agency said nine other people were treated for injuries, and three were taken to off-site medical facilities.
The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center said the blaze was contained and that guests were moved to alternative accommodations. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said its hotel teams evacuated guests and staff and that the hotel will remain closed until further notice.
The company said the property operates independently. The nearby Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace was not damaged and was operating normally, according to authorities.
The Emergency Operations Center said tourism activities in Bayahibe and the surrounding area were unaffected. That is a key point for travelers in the southeastern beach destination, where hotels cater to international visitors.
Authorities said the fire spread quickly. Preliminary observations cited by the Emergency Operations Center indicated that wind and the flammable nature of some palm-roof structures helped the flames move through the resort.
The exact cause of the fire was not immediately clear in the information released by officials. No further details were provided on when the resort might reopen or where all evacuated guests were placed.
