“SHE MOVED ACROSS THE WORLD TO START A NEW LIFE… T...

“SHE MOVED ACROSS THE WORLD TO START A NEW LIFE… THEN HER FINAL VACATION ENDED IN TRAG3DY.” TV STAR MOM-OF-TWO P*SSES AWAY AS MASSIVE FIRE SENDS 1,700 PEOPLE FLEEING LUXURY CARIBBEAN RESORT

V star mom, 46, who appeared on ‘quitting everything to change your life’ show died in fire at luxury Caribbean beach resort that sent 1,700 tourists running for their lives

An Italian woman who starred in a reality show about moving abroad for a new life died after a blaze ripped through a luxury beach resort in the Caribbean.

Francesca Valentino, 46, was killed after the fire tore through The Viva Dominicus Bayahibe resort in La Altagracia, Dominican Republic, on Friday.

According to Rome based outlet Il Messagero, Valentino is originally from Caserta and worked in Rome previously as a dance instructor

She moved to the Dominican Republic and starred on the TV show ‘Mollo Tutto e Cambio Vita’, which translates to ‘I’m Quitting Everything To Change My Life’.

Valentino lived in Bayahibe, a small fishing village, and according to her social media married in 2016. She has two daughters.

The outlet reported that she recently returned to living in Italy and was vacationing at the time of her death.

The blaze forced nearly 1,700 guests and staff to flee the area, as fast-spreading flames engulfed the majority of the resort.

New drone footage emerged showing the charred remains of the resort in the aftermath of the fire that killed Valentino.

Francesca Valentino is pictured with her husband in a Facebook photo. She died in the blaze at the resort

Valentino is a mom-of-two who is originally from Caserta in Italy and previously worked in Rome as a dance instructor
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Valentino is a mom-of-two who is originally from Caserta in Italy and previously worked in Rome as a dance instructor

The blaze forced nearly 1,700 guests and staff to flee the area, as fast-spreading flames engulfed the majority of the resort
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The blaze forced nearly 1,700 guests and staff to flee the area, as fast-spreading flames engulfed the majority of the resort

The charred remains of the hotel are seen in heartbreaking drone footage
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The charred remains of the hotel are seen in heartbreaking drone footage

Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian woman, was killed, the Dominican Republic's emergency service DAEH said in a statement
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Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian woman, was killed, the Dominican Republic’s emergency service DAEH said in a statement

Firefighters are seen standing outside the soot covered sandstone walls of the property after managing to extinguish it in another video.

Three people were taken to ​medical facilities and six others were treated on site, ⁠DAEH said. Those affected included guests, visitors and emergency responders.

One Argentinian tourist told CDN37 that she was staying at the hotel at the time and was on the beach when the fire started.

Lucrecia Castro told the outlet that she managed to find alternative accommodation nearby after the fire forced the hotel to close.

Bianny Vilorio and Angélica Louis, two Dominican women who were using a day pass to enjoy the hotel, described the fire as ‘catastrophic’ to CDN37.

They said it burned the beach area, which consists of the lobby, the bars, the buffet area, and the hotel’s luggage room.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation with officials saying it ‘spread rapidly’ due to wind and because part of the resort’s roof was made of thatch.

Emergency services raced to the tourist hotspot, which is operated by Wyndham Resorts, as the flames spiraled out of control on Friday.

Valentino regularly shared photos of her family to Facebook. According to Facebook she married in 2016
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Valentino regularly shared photos of her family to Facebook. According to Facebook she married in 2016

She had previously starred on a reality TV show in Italy about changing your life
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She had previously starred on a reality TV show in Italy about changing your life

The resort has 692 rooms. A June stay at the resort was an estimated $507 per night for a room for two adults, according to Expedia
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The resort has 692 rooms. A June stay at the resort was an estimated $507 per night for a room for two adults, according to Expedia

First responders said fire crews were deployed quickly to contain the inferno.

Authorities said they were working to contain the flames to the area, fearing it could spread to nearby structures in the resort, according to Dominican Today.

One witness said on social media that firefighters were struggling to extinguish the fires.

‘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,’ they wrote.

Video shows flames raging through what appears to be a thatched roof on top of the hotel.

Fire crews can be seen dousing the building with water, but the hosepipe is measly by comparison to the structure.

Dozens of witnesses gathered around to watch the ensuing carnage as the hotel burned.

The resort is a popular destination for American tourists, who often share picturesque tropical photos of their trips to the island across social media.

The resort is a popular destination for American tourists. Valentino who died in the blaze is pictured
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The resort is a popular destination for American tourists. Valentino who died in the blaze is pictured

The fire was brought under control but its cause was still being investigated
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The fire was brought under control but its cause was still being investigated

Police are seen here standing outside the resort as it burned on Friday
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Police are seen here standing outside the resort as it burned on Friday

The hotel is described on its website as an ‘all-inclusive paradise’ where ‘the sun and moon set the stage for nonstop fun’, surrounded by ‘pristine white sands’.

It has 692 rooms and offers a variety of entertainment, from restaurants and live music to sports like pickleball, paddleboarding and trapeze lessons.

A June stay at the resort was an estimated $507 per night for a room for two adults, according to Expedia.

The resort spills out onto the beach, complete with a large pool close to the sand.

It has also undergone extensive renovations in the past few years, including common areas and many of its food offerings.

Famous for its clear water and white sand beaches, the Dominican Republic ⁠is the ​Caribbean’s top tourist destination, receiving some ​5.6 million visitors in the first five months of this year.

 

SOURCE: TV star mom, 46, who appeared on ‘quitting everything to change your life’ show died in fire at luxury Caribbean beach resort that sent 1,700 tourists running for their lives | Daily Mail Online

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