A forest fire in the Andalusia region of southern Spain has left at least 11 dead and 19 missing. The fire started on Thursday afternoon (9) near the N 340 highway, in the municipality of Los Gallardos, province of Almería, and spread to the neighboring municipality of Bedar, driven by the wind.
Emergency teams found some of the victims inside vehicles during their attempt to escape from a rural area. According to the Andalusian government, people died trying to escape the flames near Bedar. Four of the victims may be British.
The search for the missing continues. This Friday morning (10), 150 firefighters were fighting the flames with the support of 220 soldiers from the Spanish emergency unit. In total, more than 300 professionals participate in the operation.
Antonio Sanz, regional head of emergency services, said teams were facing “a terrible and very complex fire, which is spreading very quickly.” According to him, the work’s priority is to locate the missing and identify the victims. “The main objective is to identify the missing people and collect DNA samples to identify the victims as quickly as possible.”
Sanz also stated that limited access and topography make it difficult for machines to fight the fire. Around 800 people were evacuated from their homes and almost 200 are in shelters. He also asked the population to follow the authorities’ guidelines. “In an emergency, authorities’ instructions are not recommendations. They were made to protect lives. If there is an evacuation or confinement order, comply immediately and follow established routes,” he said.
The official reported that eight people were injured, four of them seriously. According to Sanz, authorities are still trying to confirm whether there are other victims. Sanz said the people found dead tried to flee despite instructions to stay in place or follow the official evacuation route. According to him, the fire did not reach Bedar.
“Unfortunately, the decision to look for another way out of a ravine turned out to be a trap. Four people who died inside a vehicle may have been British, as the car in which they were found had a steering wheel on the right side,” said Sanz. “Another seven people left their vehicles and tried to leave via a path that was not part of the official evacuation route and suffered terrible consequences. Apparently most of them were also foreigners, but their identification has not yet been confirmed.”
Antonio Sanz classified the episode as “the most devastating fire ever recorded in our region” and stated that it was “an unprecedented tragedy”. He also stated that “there are no words for pain like this and I want to offer our condolences to the families of those killed. This is terrible news and today the hearts of the people of Andalusia are in mourning.” At another point, he stated that “the pain is immense. Andalusia is in mourning and our hearts are with Almería and all those affected.”
The Civil Guard advised family members of missing people to contact a police station in the city of La Garrucha to record information that could assist in the search.
The mayor of Los Gallardos, Francisco Miguel Reyes, stated that the population is shaken. “This is the first time we have faced such a destructive fire. It looks like a bomb exploded in our municipality.”
The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, also lamented the fire. “We are feeling immense sadness and desolation due to the consequences of the fire that has hit the province of Almería. I want to convey my condolences to the families of those who died in the Los Gallardos forest fire. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured and express my solidarity with all the affected residents.”
Authorities are investigating the origin of the fire. It is suspected that a power transmission line caused the fire.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
