A devastating fire has left a woman dead as 1,700 tourists were forced to evacuate a beach hotel. According to Reuters, the tragic incident occurred in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on Friday, June 19.
The fire had started at around 11:00 am local time at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel. Local media shared videos that showed the straw roof of the beach hotel billowing smoke and engulfed in flames.
The Dominican Republic's Emergency Operations Center explained that "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."
Luckily, the fire was brought under control by local fire forces. But the origin of the fire is yet to be confirmed. The guests who were evacuated were able to be moved to their sister hotels, as well as others in the area.
The woman who died has been named as 46-year-old Italian national Francesca Valentino. Three other guests were taken to the hospital, while six were treated at the scene. Guests weren't the only ones affected — some emergency responders had to be treated, too.
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The Hotel Released a Statement About the Tragic Fire
A spokesperson for Viva Resorts explained what the company is doing in light of the situation to CBS News. "At this time, we are actively gathering the facts regarding the incident and coordinating with the appropriate authorities and on-site teams," they explained. "As this process is ongoing, we will not be providing comment at this time."
Another statement from Viva Resorts to Newsweek confirms that their hotel teams were the ones who "safely evacuated guests and staff" from the blaze. They added that they were "saddened that one guest perished", and extended their condolences to the victim's family.
They also said that the property was "independently owned and operated", and would stay closed "until further notice". A phone number was also shared for any concerned current or future guests for "any inquiries": +1 877 997 1877.
This is a really tragic situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the woman and her family. May she rest in peace.
