Woman killed in Dominican hotel fire, 1,700 rescued
Preliminary observations indicate that the fire spread rapidly due to the flammable nature of parts of the roof structures made of palm leaves, aided by wind conditions
ATT Desk Report 
A woman was killed and nearly 1,700 tourists were evacuated after a large fire broke out at a hotel in the Dominican beach resort of Bayahibe, local authorities said on Friday.
Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian woman, died in the fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel, the DAEH emergency service said in a statement, reports Reuters.
Videos shared by local media showed dark clouds of smoke billowing above the Caribbean coastline as flames engulfed the resort's straw roof.
"Preliminary observations indicate that the fire spread rapidly due to the flammable nature of parts of the roof structures made of palm, as well as wind conditions," the country's Emergency Operations Center (COE) said.
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, which franchises around 8,400 hotels worldwide, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The fire was brought under control, but its cause was still being investigated, the operations centre said. Guests were moved to nearby hotels. The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, part of the same chain, did not sustain any damage.
"Tourist activities in Bayahibe and the surrounding area remain unaffected and continue to take place safely and as normal," the COE added.
Famous for its clear waters and white sand beaches, the Dominican Republic is the Caribbean's top tourist destination, receiving around 5.6 million visitors in the first five months of this year.
