A British tourist has died in a hotel fire in the Dominican Republic, a tragedy that has forced the Foreign Office to issue an emergency travel warning for the Caribbean nation. Sources confirm the blaze ripped through the Riu Palace Macao resort in Punta Cana overnight, killing one UK national and injuring several others. The victim, a 70-year-old man from Lancashire, was on holiday with his wife when the fire broke out on the ground floor of the 700-room complex. Local authorities claim the fire started in a restaurant kitchen, but questions are mounting over the resort's safety protocols and whether the building had proper fire escapes.
The Foreign Office has now updated its travel advice for the Dominican Republic, urging British tourists to 'exercise caution' and check their accommodation's fire safety measures. This is not the first alarm. In 2019, three British tourists died in a suspected gas explosion at the Bluebay Grand Hotel in Cancun, Mexico. A year earlier, a fire at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace in Punta Cana killed one American. The pattern is clear: holidaymakers are being put at risk by lax regulation in these tropical resorts.
I have obtained documents from a former hotel employee that reveal a history of safety violations at the Riu Palace Macao. Emails dated 2022 show complaints about faulty smoke detectors and blocked emergency exits. Management ignored them. The hotel chain, Riu Hotels & Resorts, has not responded to requests for comment. Their silence speaks volumes.
The Dominican Republic's tourism board, Mitur, insists the country is safe. But the numbers tell a different story. According to internal records, there have been 14 fire-related incidents in tourist hotels on the island in the past five years, resulting in six deaths. The local fire department is underfunded and poorly equipped. One firefighter, speaking on condition of anonymity, told me: 'We don't have the resources to inspect these hotels properly. They just pay a fee and get a certificate.'
The Foreign Office travel warning is a rare step. It puts pressure on the Dominican government to act, but action is slow. In the meantime, British families are left grieving. The widow of the deceased man said: 'He went on holiday to relax, not to die in a fire. We want answers.'
I will be following the money. Who owns these hotels? Who is paying off the inspectors? The trail leads back to opaque holding companies in tax havens, the same kind that fuel the global corruption network. This is not just a tragedy. It is a scandal waiting to be uncovered. More to come.
