An Italian tourist has died and almost 1,700 tourists have been evacuated after a large fire tore through a luxury resort in the Dominican Republic on Friday

Harrowing footage shows holiday-makers fleeing to the beach from a massive blaze at Wyndham’s Viva Dominicus Beach resort in the Dominican Republic.

Fifteen firefighting units are battling the blaze at the Viva Dominicus Beach resort in La Altagracia province, the Dominican Republic Foreign Ministry told ABC News.

One tourist died in the fire and several others required medical assistance