1 killed in large fire at luxury resort in Dominican Republic

One person was killed and several others were hurt when a massive fire broke out at a luxury beach resort in the Dominican Republic on Friday, local officials said. The fire broke out at around 11 a.m. at Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach, a four-star resort in the town of Bayahibe in the La Altagracia province, according to officials. Bayahibe is a popular destination for American and international tourists on the southeastern coast of the island. In a news conference Friday evening, Juan Manuel Mendez, head of the Dominican Republic's Emergency Operations Center, said one person died at the scene of the fire and at least nine others were injured. Mendez said three of the injured patients were transported to area hospitals, and six were treated on scene. Earlier Friday, an emergency official for the adjacent La Romana province told CBS News the person killed was an Italian woman. A fire burns at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach hotel in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic. June 19, 2026. Gojko Culibrk Cellphone videos captured thatch-roof structures engulfed in fast-spreading flames across the beachside resort. Video showed crowds swimming in the ocean just feet from the blaze, as smoke and flames billowed into the air. Firefighters from La Romana responded as local crews struggled to contain the blaze. The Emergency Operations Center said in a statement that the approximately 1,690 guests staying at the resort were evacuated to other hotels and nearby housing facilities. …