FOUR Brits feared to have died in the tragic Spanish wildfires entered a “death trap” as they desperately tried to escape the raging flames.
At least , reportedly made up of children and pensioners, as the inferno for hours.
At least 12 people have been found dead, reportedly made up of children and pensioners, as a wildfire tore through southern Spain for hours Credit: Solarpix
Shocking footage shows flames engulfing Los Gallardos, Almeria Credit: Solarpix
A desperate appeal has been made by the mother of a missing Brit living in southern Spain Credit: Facebook/PatriciaMcGough
The victims are believed to be made up of 10 foreign nationals, likely Brits and Belgians, and one Spanish local.
At least eight of the dead are believed to be retired expats with the remaining three feared to be children, according to local media .
The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is in contact with Spanish authorities after the “concerning” reports of potential British casualties.
A further eight people were rushed to hospital injured, four of whom are in a serious condition, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue operations continue.
Hundreds of fire crews are continuing to search for 23 people still missing.
Families have been making desperate appeals to try and find their loved ones including a Brit mum who hasn’t heard from her daughter since Thursday night.
Sharing an image of the woman and her pet dog, the post read: “My daughter is missing. She was driving a red Fiesta and had her dog with her. Has anyone seen her?”
The deadly in Los Gallardos, Almeria, late last night with hundreds quickly becoming trapped by the flames while trying to escape.
Over 150 firefighters and 200 military personnel have been tackling the raging inferno Credit: Solarpix
Jets spraying gallons of water over the flames in Los Gallardos Credit: Reuters
Among those reportedly included a group of four Brits who are feared to have made a tragic mistake when trying to flee to safety.
Spain’s Emergencies Minister Antonio Sanz said a group of people decided to evacuate in a car but used an alternative route in a frantic bid to escape.
One wrong turn left them heading towards the flames instead of away from them, Sanz said as he described the route a “death trap”.
He added that “everything pointed” to the victims being British in the burnt-out car as the steering wheel was on the right-hand side.
Sanz continued: “Seven people died in another scenario, they were walking and had abandoned their cars and were probably looking for a way out.
“But they had taken a route which wasn’t the one indicated by the emergency services and the consequences have been terrible.”
Remains of the dozen victims will begin to be flown to Madrid tonight on a police helicopter so the formal identification process can begin.
It is still expected to take several days before authorities can confirm the casualties’ nationalities due to the severity of the fatal burns.
Members of the Spanish Civil Guard conduct an investigation during a wildfire in Almocaizar, in the vicinity of Los Gallardos Credit: Reuters
Spain’s King Felipe VI (C) and his family observes a minute of silence for the victims of the Los Gallardos forest fire Credit: EPA
Los Gallardos is made up of over 1,000 Brits with the latest census saying UK expats make up 1,024 of the 2,841 registered residents.
None of the nationalities of the victims have been confirmed yet as investigations continue.
At least eight of the dead are understood to be pensioners, according to local journalist Jorge Garcia Badia.
He said the flames quickly rose up towards Bedar mountain in Los Gallardos which is popular as a retirement area for expats.
Jorge claimed on Spanish TV: “Bedar was surrounded by flames and that’s when police began to ask people to evacuate. Many people ended up getting trapped.”
A Civil Guard chief for the region said in a press conference: “Finding these people is our number one priority at the moment.”
It marks Spain’s worst wildfire in more than two decades and the Andalusia region’s most devastating in its .
One witness said the latest fire was sparked by a fallen power line before it spread rapidly to a nearby wooded area.
It marks Spain’s worst wildfire in more than two decades and the Andalusia region’s most devastating in its history Credit: EPA Is it safe to travel to Spain amid the wildfires?
By , Deputy Travel Editor
Here is everything you need to know if you have a coming up.
The fires in are predominantly along the south of the country.
The blaze broke out in Los Gallardos, Almeria, southern Spain, and has since spread to areas including Cadiz.
Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia are the other regions tipped to be worst-affected.
All of Spain still remains safe to travel to, according to the UK Foreign Office.
However, they do have updated the .
The website states: “Local authorities have reported a wildfire in Los Gallardos, Almería, in Andalucía.
“If you are in an area affected by the wildfire:
- for emergencies, call 112 advice on what to do when it comes to wildfires.
- follow instructions from local authorities and emergency services at all times
- avoid travelling into or through the affected area
- follow updates from the emergency services”
Most remain unaffected if you are heading to Spain in the next few weeks.
Passengers will be contacted by their tour operator or airline if this changes.
But local authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the inferno which broke out in Almeria – a coastal British tourist hotspot.
The latest blaze could put summer at risk – and comes just days after the Foreign Office issued a travel warning for Spain, updating its safety guidance.
Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME), which is reserved for major disasters, deployed 200 soldiers and 700 vehicles to fight the fire.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X: “Enormous sadness and devastation over the terrible consequences of the wildfire affecting the province of Almeria.
“I would like to express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the Los Gallardos forest fire.
“I wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured and express my solidarity with all the affected residents.”
It comes amid a in recent weeks – swallowing forests and of land.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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