A massive fire broke out at the Viva Dominicus Beach, a four-star hotel located in the town of Bayahibe on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic, on Friday. The hotel is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area.
Footage shows guests fleeing the scene as firefighters fight the flames that are spreading quickly through the straw structures on the roof of the resort. A thick column of smoke is also visible rising above the building.
According to local media, hotel staff and emergency teams evacuated hundreds of guests as a precaution, while fire units from Bayahibe and nearby towns worked to contain the blaze.
Wilson, a resident, said he was working near the area when the fire started at approximately 11:24 local time.
“That happened around that time. Then I heard a noise and fire. I heard something going ‘boom, boom’ near my workplace. In the end I went out; I saw many people, many people, and a very intense fire at the Viva Dominicus Beach hotel. What happened was very serious,” the man said.
He went on to explain that the tourist complex consists of two sections: Viva Dominicus Beach and the second section, Viva Dominicus Palace. The first section, Viva Dominicus, is the one that has suffered damage.
“The entire Viva Dominicus Beach hotel was wiped out, completely. Completely wiped out. It has to be rebuilt now,” Wilson said.
The authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire or the full extent of the damage. They have also not provided information about whether nearby buildings were affected.
The Directorate of Extrahospital Emergency Care Services (DAEH) reported that three people were transferred to health centres for evaluation and specialised follow-up. Another six received medical attention and were stabilised at the scene, in accordance with established protocols. In addition, authorities reported the death of a 46-year-old Italian tourist.
Source: Viory
