A British man survived Spain’s deadliest wildfire in decades by taking refuge in a car as flames engulfed the village of Bédar, while his wife and 12 friends and neighbours died attempting to escape on foot.
Malcolm Timbrell, 70, recounted how the fire moved at over 20 km/h, leaving no chance for those who abandoned their vehicles. His wife, Annette Kilgore, 69, and their group had fled their hillside home in Almería province last Thursday evening before becoming separated.
How the Bédar wildfire unfolded
The couple and their neighbours initially tried to escape by car but split up when Timbrell returned for their cats, Charlie and Lilly. By the time he secured the animals, the others had left their vehicles and attempted to outrun the fire.
Timbrell found shelter in one of six abandoned cars, four of which burned. The last two, though badly damaged, survived the flames. Emergency workers later rescued him.
Aftermath and identification efforts
Eight bodies were discovered on a path near the couple’s home. Four more victims, recovered in a right-hand drive vehicle, are believed to be British. Authorities confirmed at least three Britons, one French, one Belgian, and one Spanish national among the dead, including a 93-year-old British woman who died in hospital on Sunday.
Timbrell, who moved to Spain with Kilgore after years of sailing together, awaits DNA confirmation of the remains. He described the support from local police and friends but admitted he may "fall apart" once the full reality sets in.
