Seven Britons among those killed in Spain wildfires
Twelve of the 13 victims were foreign nationals, Spanish authorities said on Tuesday.
Seven Britons were confirmed among the fatalities in the devastating wildfires in southern Spain, according to authorities. Spanish officials reported on Tuesday that twelve of the thirteen victims were foreign nationals, following the completion of post-mortem examinations, as noted by local media and Agence France Presse (AFP).
The wildfires, which erupted in the Almería province on Thursday, have become one of the deadliest in the country’s history. A representative from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office stated that they are "supporting British nationals affected and their families and remain in close contact with the Spanish authorities."
In an official statement, it was revealed that the victims included seven individuals from the United Kingdom, three from Belgium, one from France, and one from the United States, as reported by AFP and local media. The final victim was identified as a Spanish citizen. "The 13 people who died are eight women and five men, all adults," added the public body responsible for victim identification.
Among the British victims were Pete and Fran Gillam, a couple residing in Bédar, the village most severely impacted by the wildfires. Their family confirmed their deaths. Their daughter, Danielle Gillam-Kirton from Sheffield, expressed her heartbreak on Facebook, stating, "We have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire."
Nearly 1,500 individuals were evacuated from Almería province as firefighters worked to control the flames. Malcolm Timbrell, a 70-year-old British man living in Bédar who survived the fires, spoke to the BBC outside his destroyed home on the hillside. He believes his wife and friends were among those who perished in the wildfires.
Timbrell recounted the moment he became separated from his group and sought refuge in abandoned cars: "Of the six cars, four of them instantly combusted, and as each one started to go, I moved back one car. For some reason of fate, the last two cars, although very, very badly singed and paint bubbled and burnt, survived. And I survived inside the last one with a cat."
Spain has experienced frequent and intense heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often surpassing 40°C. The fire, which has now been contained, scorched approximately 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of land, according to authorities.