A massive fire in the Dominican Republic resort town Bayahibe has killed one Italian tourist and injured several others. The deceased woman, 46-year-old Italian national Francesca Valentino, died at the resort’s Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel.
At least nine other people were treated for injuries, with three of those taken to off-site medical facilities. Authorities evacuated 1,690 tourists from the popular resort town.
Aerial video of the blaze showed smoke billowing from numerous beachside buildings, with large gray plumes of smoke casting dark shadows on the beach’s turquoise waters. 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.
Guests were moved to other hotels, such as the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, a nearby hotel run by the same operators as the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel. The Palace did not sustain any damage.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
