The blaze at the Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham resort in Bayahibe — a popular destination for U.S. and international tourists on the Dominican Republic’s southeastern coast — forced the evacuation of nearly 1,700 tourists and caused the death of an Italian national, authorities said.

Shocking footage showed smoke billowing from a section of the Viva Dominicus Bayahibe resort in La Altagracia 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.