An Italian tourist has died and several others require medical treatment following a massive blaze that destroyed a luxury resort in the Caribbean.
Harrowing footage shows holiday-makers fleeing to the beach as fire engulfs Wyndham’s Viva Dominicus Beach resort in the Dominican Republic.
The fire on Friday local time ripped through a large swath of the resort, with the thatched roofs of multiple structures catching alight and sending black plumes of smoke into the sky.
It’s unclear what caused the fire, which forced 1700 tourists to flee, with local officials yet to confirm the extent of the damage.
Those staying at the resort had to be evacuated to other hotels and nearby housing.
“Although fire trucks are already on the scene, the magnitude of the blaze exceeds the available equipment and greater support is required with higher-impact units to fully extinguish it,” one witness wrote on social media.
Footage showed stunned guests sheltering on the beach, with one man dressed in a Hawaiian shirt filming the blaze with his phone.
The resort is reportedly a popular holiday destination for American tourists.
“Nestled along Bayahibe-La Romana’s pristine white sands, this resort offers a perfect blend of accessibility and intimacy,” the resort’s website said.