A British tourist has died in a fire at a resort in the Dominican Republic, reigniting demands for tighter safety regulations for package holidays sold in the UK. The blaze broke out early Thursday morning at the luxury Bahia Principe complex in Punta Cana, a popular destination for British holidaymakers. Local officials confirmed the death of a 52-year-old woman from Manchester, who was trapped in her room as flames spread through the wooden structure of the budget wing. Three other tourists, including a child, were treated for smoke inhalation.
The dead woman, named by family as Julie Marshall, a teaching assistant, had arrived two days earlier with her husband. “She was looking forward to a week of sun and rest. Now I am going home with her ashes,” said her husband, Paul Marshall, in a statement. “There were no fire alarms, no sprinklers. We had to smash a window to escape. Julie couldn’t get out in time.”
The tragedy comes amid growing concerns over the enforcement of safety standards at overseas resorts marketed to UK tourists. The Travel Association (ABTA) has faced criticism for what some call a “light-touch” approach to auditing hotels. Labour MP for Manchester Central, Lucy Powell, said: “This is a wake-up call. The government must review the Package Travel Regulations to ensure that no British family faces this horror again.”
Under current laws, tour operators are required to ensure accommodation meets local safety rules, but critics argue that enforcement is patchy, particularly in countries with weaker building codes. Fire safety at Dominican Republic hotels has been under scrutiny since a 2017 blaze killed nine at a resort in Puerto Plata. At the time, ABTA promised a review, but campaigners say little has changed.
The Pensions and Travel Minister, Paul Maynard, expressed condolences and said the government was “liaising with local authorities to understand the cause of the fire.” He added: “We will consider any recommendations from the investigation.”
Consumer rights groups are now urging the Foreign Office to issue updated travel advice and force operators to disclose fire safety audits. “The single mother saving for a cheap getaway shouldn’t have to worry whether her hotel is a death trap,” said Sarah Webber of the British Safety Tourism Trust. “We need a kitemark for fire safety, and we need it now.”
Meanwhile, the resort’s parent company, Grupo Piñero, said it was “deeply saddened” and would cooperate fully with investigators. But for Julie Marshall’s family, words are not enough. “No one should die on holiday,” her husband said. “The government needs to act. They owe it to Julie, and to every family who books a holiday trusting it is safe.”
