Seven British nationals were among the 13 people killed in the devastating wildfires that tore through southern Spain’s Almería province, Spanish authorities confirmed on Tuesday after completing post-mortem examinations.According to officials, 12 of the victims were foreign nationals — seven from the UK, three from Belgium, one from France and one from the United States — while the remaining victim was a Spanish citizen, news agency AFP reported.Authorities said the dead included eight women and five men, all adults.The blaze, which erupted on Thursday and has since been brought under control, has become one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires in recent decades, scorching around 7,000 hectares of land and forcing nearly 1,500 people to flee their homes.The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said it was supporting affected British nationals and their families while remaining in close contact with Spanish authorities.
Family pays tribute to British couple
Among those who died were Pete and Fran Gillam, a British couple who lived in the village of Bédar, one of the communities worst hit by the inferno.Their daughter, Danielle Gillam-Kirton, confirmed their deaths in an emotional Facebook post.“We are heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire,” she wrote, thanking well-wishers for their support during the family’s ordeal.Spanish authorities said several victims died while attempting to escape the flames in their vehicles as the fire spread rapidly through the area.
Survivor recalls terrifying escape
One British resident who survived the disaster, 70-year-old Malcolm Timbrell, described his harrowing experience as the fire engulfed the hillside near his home in Bédar.Speaking after the blaze, Timbrell said he became separated from his wife and friends, who are feared to be among those killed, before taking refuge inside abandoned vehicles.“Of the six cars, four of them instantly combusted,” he said. “For some reason of fate, the last two cars survived. And I survived inside the last one with a cat.”
British holidaymakers rescued from ravine
In a rare moment of hope amid the tragedy, a British couple on holiday in Spain were rescued alive after being discovered badly burned and semi-conscious in a ravine near Bédar.The pair, believed to have been hiking when the wildfire spread rapidly, were found after Civil Guard officers heard faint cries for help during an overnight search for survivors.Both were airlifted to hospital, where they remain in intensive care with severe burns covering around 40% of their bodies.
One of Spain’s worst wildfire disasters
The wildfire burned through about 7,000 hectares in Almería province before firefighters managed to contain it. Spain has experienced increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves in recent years, with summer temperatures often climbing above 40°C, creating conditions that have fuelled a growing number of destructive wildfires.
