At least 12 individuals disregarded the advice of local authorities, who made door-to-door visits urging residents to stay put. They chose to escape by car from Bedar, a village that largely avoided the flames, only to drive straight into the fire.
Four individuals, believed to be British due to the right-hand steering wheel of their vehicle, perished in one car, according to regional disaster chief Antonio Sanz. Eight others were found scattered along the fire’s charred path after apparently abandoning their vehicles and trying to escape on foot.
A press photograph from the region depicts four burnt-out cars on a mountain road. Regional President Juanma Moreno stated that while 11 deaths were initially confirmed, authorities later discovered one body completely covered by another.
“Please always heed the recommendations of authorities — please… because in these types of fires, wind conditions can change, and the flames may come at you from different directions,” Moreno cautioned reporters at the scene.
Many of the deceased were likely foreign nationals residing in the area, including Britons and Belgians, Sanz mentioned.
“Ultimately, the village of Bedar was spared from significant damage, so the shelter-in-place order likely prevented a more tragic outcome,” he added.
In addition to the 12 who lost their lives, 23 others remain unaccounted for in what is one of Spain’s most devastating wildfires.
DOOR-TO-DOOR
On Friday, Moreno clarified that no text alert had been sent to residents in the villages above Los Gallardos where the fire ignited, as the guidance varied based on their locations in the mountainous terrain and the rapidly changing circumstances.
Instead, local mayors and police visited homes, making phone calls to indicate safe evacuation routes or advising residents to stay put.
Ángel Collado, the mayor of Bédar, the village from which the victims fled, stated he “acted immediately, going door-to-door and advising residents to evacuate,” or telling them to remain inside based on the fire’s developments.
“Even those who were reluctant to leave were urged to evacuate,” he recounted emotionally.
In Bedar, he recounted his unsuccessful attempts to persuade a group of nine people planning to flee to stay put. Regrettably, seven of them perished while trying to escape, he noted.
The deceased also did not follow the advised evacuation route. Sanz reported that they had taken an alternate path through a dry riverbed, which ultimately proved to be a perilous choice.
From a makeshift rescue center at a funeral home in the nearby village of Lubin, Francisco, another Bedar resident, shared that police advised him to stay in his home as the fire drew near and requested that he keep the line open.
“They said: ‘Francisco, keep the phone on, we need to maintain contact. Once the fire subsides a bit, we will come for you,'” he told La Voz de Almeria newspaper.
In the meantime, they endeavored to protect themselves as best they could.
“We smashed a large window to enter, locked the front door, and took refuge in the garage. We stayed there for about two hours,” he recalled.
They were eventually evacuated, though the status of their home remains uncertain.
ROADS BLOCKED BY FIRE
Sonia, a Spanish woman residing in Los Gallardos who preferred not to disclose her last name, mentioned she took in relatives when authorities ordered an evacuation at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT).
She recounted being instructed to avoid the main escape route from Bedar, opting instead for a back route further into the mountains before returning towards the coast.
“The road from Bédar to Los Gallardos was obstructed, as the fire had crossed it and rendered it impassable.”
As authorities continued their search for the missing, worried relatives around the globe turned to social media and local forums to share their concerns.
One woman in the United States posted on social media, indicating that her brother was among a group of 10 who attempted to escape by car, providing the coordinates and asking emergency services to check on him.
Read Also: Trump says missiles aimed at Iran if Tehran targets US president
