At Least 1 Tourist Dead After Fire Erupts at Popular Resort

A horrific scene unfolded Friday at a popular resort, where one tourist died after a fire engulfed nearly an entire resort.

According to multiple reports, Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham nearly burned to the ground. The deadly fire prompted nearly 1,700 tourists to evacuate from the property in the Dominican Republic.

It's reported that a 46-year-old Italian tourist died in the fire. And at least three hotel guests needed medical help. The fire caused nearly 1,700 guests to evacuate to nearby hotels as firefighters battled the blaze.

Authorities are still trying to determine what caused the fire, but it's reported that it spread rapidly due to strong winds.

"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, via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The region is a popular destination, with about 5.6 million visitors in the first five months this year.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 1:03 AM.