Dominican Republic: Italian woman dies whilst fleeing a fire at a resort
Francesca Valentino, originally from Caserta, is the Italian woman who died of respiratory failure whilst fleeing the fire that almost completely destroyed a resort
Francesca Valentino, originally from Caserta, is the Italian woman who died in the fire that almost completely destroyed a resort in the Dominican Republic. The blaze forced the evacuation of around 1,700 tourists.
Valentino, aged 46, had been living in Bayahibe, as shown on his social media profiles, where the Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham resort is located – a popular destination for international tourists. The woman suffered a respiratory crisis whilst on the beach, where she had rushed along with other tourists to evacuate the hotel rooms. She lost consciousness after inhaling carbon monoxide when a wave of smoke from the burning site engulfed her. She was taken to hospital in a private car.
Condolences from the Minister
“I wish to express my condolences on the tragic death of our compatriot Francesca Valentino in the fire at the resort in Bayahibe. A holiday has turned into an unacceptable tragedy.” So said the Minister for Tourism, Gianmarco Mazzi, in a statement. “I am monitoring the situation in close contact with the tour operator, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Embassy in Santo Domingo, whom I would like to thank for providing immediate assistance to the victim’s husband and the remaining 285 Italians staying at the resort. The safety of our tourists abroad must be an absolute priority. An initial repatriation flight for 130 compatriots, bound for Verona, is scheduled for today.”
