ITALIAN TOURIST DIES IN FIRE AT DOMINICAN BEACH RESORT

An Italian tourist died and approximately 1,690 tourists were evacuated after a large fire broke out at the Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, on Friday. Francesca Valentino, 46, died in the blaze. Authorities evacuated guests to other hotels and nearby housing facilities. The fire has since been brought under control.

The resort is located on the Dominican Republic's southeastern coast and serves as a popular destination for tourists from the United States and internationally. According to the Dominican Republic's Emergency Operations Centre, the fire spread rapidly owing to wind conditions and because part of the resort's roof was constructed from thatch. The centre confirmed that Viva Wyndham's nearby Dominicus Palace resort sustained no damage and continued operating normally.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No further details regarding the circumstances of Valentino's death have been released. The Emergency Operations Centre did not specify a timeframe for completing its investigation into how the blaze began.