Malcolm Timbrell, a 70-year-old British national, has recounted the harrowing experience of surviving a deadly wildfire in Spain’s Almeria province, which claimed the lives of his wife and 12 other individuals, including friends and neighbors.
Timbrell and his wife, Annette Kilgore, 69, were residents of the village of Bédar, which was engulfed by flames last Thursday evening. The wildfire, described as one of the deadliest in Spanish history, spread rapidly, forcing residents to make urgent decisions to flee.
"You'd never imagine it could happen," Timbrell told the BBC from the ruins of his home, located high on a hillside. "And when it does, and you're the only survivor, then you're left in a situation of, 'What can I do?'"
He and Kilgore, his partner of 17 years, had previously found their property when they appeared on the Channel 4 program "A Place in the Sun." Timbrell remembered Kilgore as "a happy, outgoing person" and reflected on their "amazing life together" that has now been abruptly ended.
As the wildfire, fanned by strong winds, approached their property on Thursday, the couple and their neighbors opted to escape by car. However, Timbrell became separated from his wife and their companions during the chaotic evacuation. The group had initially planned to flee on foot, but the escalating danger prompted a change of plan to use a vehicle.
The devastating blaze consumed Bédar, leaving behind a scene of widespread destruction. Images from the area show charred homes and landscapes bearing the scars of the intense fire.
