Four Britons feared dead as wildfires spread near Spanish holiday destination
Four Britons are feared to have been killed in a major wildfire sweeping southern Spain as the death toll rose to 11 on Friday.
More than 150 firefighters were working to bring the blaze under control after it spread rapidly through a wooded area around the town of Los Gallardos in Almería province on Thursday afternoon, officials said.
The flames have already torn through some 3,150 hectares of land in one of the worst forest fires recorded in Spain, and the deadliest in more than 20 years. At least 19 people are still missing, authorities said on Friday.
Andalusia’s head of emergencies, Antonio Sanz, said four people, who appeared to be British as the steering wheel of their car was on the right-hand side, had died in a vehicle while trying to escape.
Seven others were found dead after apparently abandoning their cars and attempting to flee on foot along a route that was not part of the evacuation plan, he said.
“They were walking … they had left their cars and were surely looking for an exit, an exit that was not the one planned … and the consequences have been terrible,” he said.
“Everything seems to indicate that … in the case of the deceased, we are dealing mostly or entirely with foreigners. Until their identities are determined, logically, it cannot be confirmed.”
Mr Sanz said it was “the most devastating fire to date in our region”, describing the situation as an “unprecedented tragedy”.
”The pain is immense. Andalusia is in mourning, and our hearts go out to Almería and all those affected,” he said.
Another four people were being treated in hospital for serious burns, Mr Sanz said, while more than 140 had been rehoused as a result of the fire.
Pedro Ridao, mayor of Antas, one of the neighbouring affected towns, told TVE that 80 people had been evacuated in his community so far.
He indicated the fire in his town was under control and said he hoped they would be able to stabilise the blaze by air as it had taken hold in “mountainous terrain with many ravines”, making it difficult to access.
He said that the fire may have started due to a cable that came loose and fell in an area of dry vegetation.
Authorities were continuing search operations amid concerns that more people could be missing.
