Viva Dominicus Bayahibe fire: Horror blaze erupts at holiday resort as smoke fills the air

A horrific fire is ripping through a holiday resort in the Dominican Republic. Shocking images show thick clouds of smoke rising from a section of Viva Dominicus Bayahíbe resort in La Altagracia province.

Firefighters and other emergency personnel were dispatched to contain the blaze, and they are working out to figure out its cause and the extent of the damage. It’s also unclear if there have been any injuries, The Mirror US reports.

Social media reports from locals say the fire was too aggressive for the first emergency responders on scene, with firefighters struggling to tackle the blaze.

One person said: “Help. The Dominicus hotel, in Bayahibe, is being affected by a fire.

“Although fire trucks are already on the scene, the magnitude of the blaze exceeds the available equipment and greater support is required with higher-impact units to fully extinguish it.”

The message accompanied a video showing heavy dark smoke coming from the resort hotel.

Viva completed extensive renovations to common areas in recent years, including improvements to food and drink offerings.

It also shares amenities with a sister resort, Dominicus Beach. The two properties anchor much of the beachfront in Dominicus.