A huge fire tore through a luxury hotel resort in the Dominican Republic on Friday, 19 June, killing at least one person and forcing nearly 1,700 guests to flee. Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old woman from Italy, died in the fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach resort in Bayahibe, the DAEH emergency service said in a statement. The fire was brought under control but its causes were still being investigated, officials said. Guests were moved to nearby hotels. Wyndham Hotels and Resorts did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

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.