Fire at Dominican Republic resort kills Italian tourist, forces 1,700 guests to flee

3 min readJun 21, 2026 01:16 PM IST

Personnel from the National 911 Emergency System conduct an investigation following the fire that destroyed the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach hotel in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Adames)

A massive fire that broke out at a luxury beach resort in Bayahibe in the Dominican Republic Friday left one person dead and at least nine more injured.

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

The fire, which also forced nearly 1,700 guests out of the hotel, spread rapidly due to strong winds and the thatched roofs of some buildings.

Three people were taken to the hospital for treatment, while six others were treated at the scene, including guests, visitors, and emergency workers.  The cause of the fire is under investigation, states CBS News.

A drone footage shows how widespread the fire was, with buildings spanning the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach in the town of Bayahibe catching flames and thick black smoke billowing into the air above the Caribbean coastline.

A large fire consumed the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, on Friday, leading the resort to evacuate nearly 1,700 guests. Wyndham Hotels said in a statement that one guest had died and that the hotel will remain closed until further notice. pic.twitter.com/X4003RWzWc

— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 20, 2026

“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.

Authorities said that all guests were evacuated and moved to other accommodations, while the blaze was brought under control, the Emergency Operations Center (COE) said.

Italian embassy arranging emergency passports

According to a BBC report, the Italian ambassador met the husband of the deceased woman at the hospital. The autopsy details are awaited to determine the cause of the death.

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To help tourists get back home safely, officials from the Italian embassy are assisting around 285 Italian tourists by issuing emergency passports to those who lost their documents in the fire and arranging flights home.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, where the fire broke out, told BBC that the hotel staff safely evacuated guests and employees during the fire, but one guest died. The owners of the resort extended condolences to the victim’s family. The company added that the resort, which is independently owned and operated, has been closed and will remain shut until further notice. However, tourist activities in Bayahibe and in the surrounding area remain unaffected by the fire, stated Reuters.

The Dominican Republic, known for its clear blue waters and white sandy beaches, is the Caribbean’s most visited tourist destination. It welcomed around 5.6 million visitors in the first five months of 2026.

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