At least one Italian tourist has died, and several others were injured following a large fire in the resort town of Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, on Friday.
According to the Dominican Republic’s Directorate of Out-of-Hospital Emergency Services (DAEH), the deceased, 46-year-old Italian Francesca Valentino, died at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel.
Nine others received medical treatment for injuries, with three transported to external medical facilities for further care, as stated by DAEH.
The Associated Press reported that authorities evacuated 1,690 tourists from the resort, per information from local authorities.
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Aerial footage of the fire showed smoke towering from multiple beachside buildings. The gray smoke created dark shadows over the beach’s turquoise water.
Authorities explained that “preliminary observations indicate that the fire spread quickly due to flammable roof structures made from palm leaves and prevailing wind conditions,” as reported by Reuters.
Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel guests have been relocated to other accommodation, including the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, which is run by the same operators and remained undamaged, according to Reuters.
The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) announced that “tourist activities in Bayahibe and the surrounding area remain unaffected and continue as normal.”
Video footage shows a drone extinguishing flames on damaged buildings, which continue smoldering.
Fox News Digital reached out to DAEH, COE, and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts for further comments. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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