Hell in Spain: At least 12 dead and 23 missing after devastating fire that wiped out towns in hours

At least 12 people have died and another 23 remain missing following the violent wildfire that has been ravaging the province of Almería, in southern Spain, since Thursday where hundreds of people had to be evacuated and numerous homes were reduced to ashes.

Authorities warned on Friday that the number of missing persons should still be treated with caution, as some people may be cut off from communication due to the emergency. However, the death toll already makes this fire one of the deadliest and most devastating on record in Spain in recent years.

The president of the Andalusian Regional Government, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, described the situation as “a major tragedy” and called the fire “one of the fastest-spreading and most complex” that emergency services have ever faced.

The fire spread so quickly that people had no time to escape

Initial investigations suggest that the flames began in a ditch after an electrical cable broke. Strong winds did the rest: in just two hours, the fire spread about 9.3 miles, ravaging a mountainous area full of ravines, narrow paths, and scattered homes.

The speed at which it spread surprised even the emergency crews.

“It was terrible. Gas cylinders were exploding, everything was on fire, houses were burning, and windows were shattering,” a witness told the Atlas news agency.

Moreno Bonilla explained that the area’s geography turned it into “a kind of trap,” trapping many residents as they tried to flee.

A community of foreign retirees among the main victims

The affected area is home to a significant community of foreign residents, particularly British and European retirees who chose this corner of Almería for its tranquility and Mediterranean climate.

“They are foreigners living there. Most are elderly and have found a haven of peace in this area,” explained Víctor Fernández, the parish priest of Bédar and Los Gallardos, who also noted that many lived in isolation.

The head of Andalusian Emergency Services, Antonio Sanz, reported that four of the deceased were found inside a right-hand-drive vehicle, suggesting they may have been British citizens.

The other victims, according to initial hypotheses, had apparently tried to escape on foot along the rugged mountain trails before being surrounded by the flames.

Residents ignored evacuation warnings

The mayor of Bédar, Ángel Francisco Collado, explained that municipal services went door to door throughout the area warning residents of the danger.

However, he noted that some people decided to leave their homes even though other neighbors urged them to stay.

“Seven have died,” the mayor lamented.

Later, Moreno Bonilla stated that failing to follow the recommendations of emergency crews “likely caused this tragic event.”

Meanwhile, social media was flooded with desperate messages from family members trying to locate their loved ones.

Spain, hit by increasingly extreme wildfires

The disaster once again highlights the impact of high temperatures and extreme conditions affecting Spain, one of the European countries most vulnerable to such incidents.

Last year, wildfires ravaged about 1,544 square miles in the country, the highest figure recorded by the European Forest Fire Information System, and also claimed eight lives. The fire in Almería now threatens to become one of the most tragic episodes in the country’s recent history.