A massive fire ripped through the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach resort in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, killing 46-year-old Italian tourist Francesca Valentino. The blaze forced the evacuation of nearly 1,700 guests and employees and left several people injured as visitors fled to beaches and nearby areas. Officials said high winds and thatched cane roofs helped the flames spread quickly, and investigators have opened a formal inquiry into the cause. The death, mass evacuation, and extensive damage pose a major short-term blow to Bayahibe’s tourism industry and raise urgent questions about resort fire safety and emergency preparedness.
