A fast-moving fire swept through the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in the Dominican Republic on Friday, resulting in the death of one guest and the evacuation of nearly 1,700 people. The blaze, which erupted at the beachfront resort located along the country’s southeastern coast in Bayahibe, quickly engulfed parts of the property, sending thick smoke over the Caribbean shoreline.

Authorities identified the sole fatality as 45-year-old Francesca Valentino, an Italian national. Valentino was transported to a local hospital but died from smoke inhalation. Three other individuals required treatment at medical facilities in Bayahibe, while six others received care at the scene, according to the country’s prehospital emergency directorate.

Preliminary reports from the Dominican Emergency Operations Center indicated that the fire spread rapidly due to the flammable palm-thatched roofs and prevailing wind conditions. Videos circulating on social media showed flames consuming the resort’s facilities and palm-covered structures.

Valentino and her husband were staying at the resort during a visit to friends and family in Bayahibe, the fishing village where her husband was born and where the couple first met. Originally from Caserta, Italy, Valentino had moved to the Dominican Republic several years prior. She and her husband, who married in 2016, had two daughters before returning to Caserta, a city near Naples. Valentino previously managed a small bed and breakfast in Caserta and had appeared in an Italian docuseries documenting individuals who leave Italy to start new lives abroad.

Her brother, Davide, also relocated to the Dominican Republic, having left careers in Rome and Milan to pursue a different lifestyle. In a past interview, Francesca described her decision to settle in the Caribbean, expressing satisfaction with her new life and intentions not to return to Italy.

The fire did not affect the nearby Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, another property within the same hotel chain. Bayahibe is a well-known destination for tourists from the United States and other countries.

Wyndham Hotels has not issued a public statement regarding the incident as of this writing. Local authorities continue investigations into the cause of the fire and are monitoring recovery efforts at the resort.