Almeria wildfire kills 12 in Los Gallardos, victims found in vehicles as 150 firefighters battle blaze
Twelve people are dead after a wildfire tore through Los Gallardos in Almeria, southern Spain, with some victims found in their vehicles. 150 firefighters are battling the blaze during an Andalusian heatwave. Officials call it the most devastating fire the region has recorded.
Twelve people are dead and at least six injured after a wildfire swept through Los Gallardos in Almeria province, southern Spain. Some of the victims were found in their vehicles, overtaken by flames while trying to escape. Around 150 firefighters are working to contain the blaze. Witnesses told authorities that a fallen power line may have ignited dry vegetation, which then spread rapidly through surrounding woodland. Andalusia is under orange heat warnings, and the combination of extreme heat and dry fuel turned a local ignition into a mass-casualty event within hours. Antonio Sanz, the regional minister responsible for emergencies, called it the most devastating fire the region has recorded. The deaths of people in their cars point to how fast the fire moved: escape routes were cut before residents could get clear, the same pattern seen in Europe's deadliest wildfires in Greece in 2018 and Portugal in 2017. Reporting: Reuters, RTE News.