A British man, Malcolm Timbrell, 70, has recounted the harrowing experience of surviving a wildfire in Spain, while his wife and their friends are feared to have perished. The couple had been living in Bédar, a village in Almeria province, which was consumed by flames last Thursday evening.
Malcolm and his wife, Annette Kilgore, 69, had found their property on the Channel 4 programme A Place in the Sun. They had been living their dream in the Andalusian countryside, surrounded by friends and nature. However, their paradise turned into a nightmare when the wildfire swept through the village, leaving destruction and devastation in its wake.
The wildfire, which is among the deadliest in Spanish history, spread quickly, aided by strong winds, dry land, and soaring temperatures. Malcolm and his wife, along with their friends, had to make a quick decision to flee, but unfortunately, it was a decision that would cost them their lives. Malcolm chose to go back to their house to rescue their cats, Charlie and Lilly, before attempting to catch up with the group.
However, his wife and their friends decided to walk out in front of the firewall, despite Malcolm's warnings. He believes they had no chance of survival, given the speed of the fire, which was moving at 20 kilometres per hour, plus. Malcolm managed to take refuge in one of the cars, which was lucky enough to survive the flames. He was later rescued by emergency workers.
The devastating loss of life has shocked the community, with many British expats criticising the lack of a mobile phone alert. However, Malcolm has chosen not to apportion blame, saying that it's nobody's fault and that nobody can be blamed for this tragedy.