Massive fire at popular Dominican Republic resort kills one person, reports say

A massive fire ripped through a popular luxury resort in the Dominican Republic— killing at least one tourist and forcing thousands to evacuate, reports say.

An Italian woman died on Friday due to the fire at Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in Bayahíbe, a resort town close to La Romana and Casa de Campo, according to Dominican newspaper Listin Diario.

“The Emergency Operations Center (COE) in conjunction with various regional fire departments contained the fire,” a spokesperson for the Dominican Republic Department of Tourism told the Miami Herald in a statement. “We are saddened that a guest perished and we send our thoughts to the family, while we await autopsy results to determine the cause.”

Around 1,690 people staying at the hotel were relocated to nearby hotels, said Emergency Operations Center Director Juan Manuel Méndez, according to Listin Diario.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and the hotel will remain closed until further notice.

This report will be updated as more information becomes available.