The sister of an Italian soccer player who works at a high-end Caribbean resort devastated by fire has described the frightening scenes as the flames spread through the property.
Sara Calabria, 27, whose brother is footballer Davide Calabria, made it out safely after a blaze tore through The Viva Dominicus Bayahibe resort in La Altagracia, Dominican Republic, on Friday.
Calabria, an employee at the hotel, later shared on Instagram that some guests approached her during the emergency to ask whether they could return inside to collect their belongings while the building was still burning.
She reassured followers: ‘I’m fine, we’re fine. Together with the rest of the staff, we got everyone evacuated. What mattered most to me was knowing my colleagues and friends were safe.
‘It is heartbreaking to watch the place that has been not only my job, but also my second home over the past year, be destroyed. Seeing my office turned to ash is painful.
‘Your life is worth more than anything else. No item, no possession can compare. I watched people trying to go back to their rooms for bags, or asking if they could. Do not put everything at risk for something replaceable.’
Calabria also posted video of the fire on social media, showing flames engulfing a significant section of the resort as staff and guests moved frantically around the area.
Her brother Davide is currently a right-back for Greek club Panathinaikos, following a lengthy spell with Italian giants AC Milan.
Sara Calabria, sister of soccer player Davide Calabria, managed to escape the inferno where she worked on Friday. She is pictured in the Dominican Republic and regularly shares photos of her life there with her Instagram followers
Calabria shared the above images to her social media page, showing staff and holidaymakers running from the flames
Calabria is seen here with brother Davide, who plays for Greek club Panathinaikos
The fire caused the death of fellow Italian Francesca Valentino, 46, who was killed on Friday, officials confirmed.
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.
Valentino and her brother had quit their jobs in Italy in 2014 to settle in the tourist town. In 2018 she told outlet Casertace how she came to be on the island: ‘I left Italy with a two-month plane ticket, but I never went back.
‘I’ve now been living here for four years, found love, got married, and had a daughter, who’s already two years old. I’m happy with my choice; I’d never go back.’
The blaze forced nearly 1,700 guests and staff to flee the area, as fast-spreading flames engulfed the majority of the resort.
Valentino, seen here, 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
In a statement, the hotel said: ‘We are saddened that a guest perished and we send our thoughts to the family, while we await autopsy results to determine the cause.
‘All other guests and staff were safely evacuated. At this time the hotel, which is independently owned and operated, is closed and will remain so until further notice.’
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.
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 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.
Calabria, seen here, said in a post to her Instagram that guests were approaching her asking if it was safe to retrieve their property from the hotel as it burned
Davide Calabria (right) fights for the ball with Manchester City’s midfielder Jack Grealish during a pre-season club friendly football match between Manchester City and AC Milan in this July 2024 file pic
Calabria, right, speaks with a referee after a red card during a match in April 2024
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.
