The families of nine British expatriates who died in a Spanish wildfire in July have voiced distress and anger over the handling of the incident's aftermath by Spanish authorities. One woman discovered fragments of her father's bones in the burned-out wreckage of her parents' car five weeks after the fire, a discovery she alleges should have been made by police during an initial forensic search.
Danielle Gillam-Kirton, daughter of Pete and Fran Gillam, stated that after being assured by police that their parents' black BMW 5-series car had been forensically examined, she and her husband were surprised to find personal belongings, including a padel racquet, in the car's boot on August 12. Later, on August 19, during a second visit to the impounded vehicle, she discovered what appeared to be human bone fragments in the steering well.
Two forensic anthropologists who reviewed photographs of the bones concluded they were human, contradicting the dismissive response from senior officers who suggested they belonged to animals. The fragments, which included parts resembling a finger, pelvis, and rib, have yet to be officially tested or accounted for by police, according to a message from the British Consul received by Gillam-Kirton weeks after she handed the remains to authorities.
The wildfire, which occurred near Almeria in July, claimed the lives of nine British nationals and six others from various nationalities. Temperatures in the region reportedly soared close to 40 degrees Celsius during the event. The accessibility of the affected areas, particularly a settlement known as 'English Hill,' has been questioned, with residents having to navigate narrow, winding roads. Some families have stated they received no specific warnings before the fire trapped them.
Concerns have also been raised about the effectiveness of emergency alert systems. While Spain's ES alert system was reportedly used in other wildfire incidents, officials claimed a house-by-house warning by a local official was more appropriate for Bedar. However, it is unclear how many homes were reached by the lone police officer tasked with delivering the warning. Some residents, including the Gillams, were not part of a municipal WhatsApp group where belated warnings were posted.
Following the tragedy, regional president Juanma Moreno suggested that residents had ample time to evacuate but ignored advice, a claim that has incensed some families. Duncan Chard, whose parents Michael and Christine were among the victims, refuted this, stating his father, who had prosthetic knee replacements, would not have risked evacuation without necessity and that there were no clear instructions.
Malcolm Timbrell, who survived the fire, recounted being trapped with his wife, Annette Kilgore, and others on a natural platform. Despite having phone signal, rescue by helicopter was deemed too dangerous due to high winds and smoke. A Spanish man reported repeatedly calling emergency services with GPS coordinates for trapped friends, but by the time a fire truck arrived, it was too late.
Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt, whose father Stanislas was among the victims, returned to the site to recover his father's dog and reported finding scattered remains and personal effects, which remained uncollected for weeks. Several families, including the Gillams and Chards, have united to call for an investigation into the fire's cause, the handling of the emergency response, and potential prevention measures. They aim to seek answers and prevent future tragedies rather than scapegoat individuals. The families are also seeking the prompt return of identified human remains for burial.