Woman killed, 1,700 evacuated in beach hotel fire in Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, June 19 - A woman was killed and nearly 1,700 tourists were evacuated due to a large fire at a hotel in the Dominican beach resort of Bayahibe, local authorities said on Friday.

Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian woman, was killed in the fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel, the DAEH emergency service said in a statement.

Three people were taken to medical facilities and six others were treated on site, DAEH said. Those affected included guests, visitors and emergency responders.

Videos shared by local media showed dark clouds of smoke billowing out above the Caribbean coastline, as flames engulfed the resort's straw roof.

"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," the country's Emergency Operations Center (COE) said.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, which franchises some 8,400 hotels worldwide, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The fire was brought under control but its causes were still being investigated, the operations center said. Guests were moved to nearby hotels. The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, part of the same chain, did not sustain any damage.

"Tourist activities in Bayahibe and the surrounding area remain unaffected and continue to take place safely and as normal," COE added.

Famous for its clear water and white sand beaches, the Dominican Republic is the Caribbean's top tourist destination, receiving some 5.6 million visitors in the first five months of this year. REUTERS