A safety guard walks previous fire-damaged buildings on the Viva Dominicus Seaside lodge in Bayahibe, La Altagracia province, Dominican Republic, on July 20, 2026, following a hearth. An Italian vacationer died on June 19 after inhaling smoke from a big hearth at a lodge within the resort city of Bayahibe, southeastern Dominican Republic, an official advised AFP.
Erickson Polanco | Afp | Getty Photographs
Dominican authorities on Saturday had been working to make sure that international vacationers caught up in a large hearth that just about utterly destroyed a luxurious resort the day earlier than may return to their dwelling nations.
The blaze on the Viva Dominicus Seaside by Wyndham resort in Bayahibe — a preferred vacation spot for U.S. and worldwide vacationers on the Dominican Republic’s southeastern coast — compelled the evacuation of almost 1,700 vacationers and triggered the demise of an Italian nationwide, authorities stated.
“Sadly, they misplaced their id paperwork, together with their passports,” stated Amanda Santana, a lodge government. “We now have been coordinating with the embassies and governments of these nations to facilitate the entry of these company.”
Resort administration officers stated they’re working with the police to expedite the submitting of experiences on-line for company who want them. They added that vacationers have been relocated to resorts in Punta Cana and Bayahibe.
Basic Manuel Méndez, director of the nation’s Emergency Operations Heart, stated authorities had been investigating the reason for the Italian lady’s demise. He additionally stated tourism actions within the space had been persevering with as regular.
View of the pool space and broken vegetation on the Viva Dominicus Seaside lodge following a hearth in Bayahibe, La Altagracia province, Dominican Republic, on July 20, 2026. An Italian vacationer died on June 19 after inhaling smoke from a big hearth at a lodge within the resort city of Bayahibe, southeastern Dominican Republic, an official advised AFP.
Erickson Polanco | Afp | Getty Photographs
On the time of the fireplace, the lodge was working at 84% occupancy.
The Emergency Operations Heart stated it appeared the “hearth unfold quickly” as a consequence of wind and since a part of the resort’s roof was fabricated from thatch.
