Fire at Dominican Republic Resort Leaves Italian Tourist Dead, Guests Evacuated

A massive fire at a luxury beach resort in the Dominican Republic killed an Italian tourist and forced the evacuation of nearly 1,700 guests.

Drone footage showed flames spreading across several buildings at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach resort in Bayahibe. Thick black smoke covered the area as firefighters battled to contain the blaze.

Authorities have not established what caused the early-morning fire. However, initial findings showed that strong winds and flammable thatched roofs helped the flames spread quickly.

The country’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) confirmed that firefighters contained the fire. Officials moved affected guests to other hotels as investigations continued.

The agency said tourist activities in Bayahibe and surrounding areas remained normal despite the incident.

Italian Embassy Assists Tourists

Italian authorities confirmed that a 46-year-old Italian woman died in the fire. Her husband met Italy’s ambassador to the Dominican Republic after she was taken to hospital.

The Italian embassy is supporting about 285 Italian tourists who were staying at the resort and nearby hotels.

Officials are helping travellers whose documents were destroyed during the fire. The embassy is also arranging emergency passports and return flights for affected tourists.

Bayahibe is a popular Caribbean resort destination known for its beaches and clear waters. The town attracts thousands of visitors due to its coastal attractions.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which operates through a global franchise network, has not issued a public statement on the incident.