Families of nine British expats who died in a Spanish wildfire in July are calling for accountability from Spanish authorities, detailing what they describe as a series of failures in the aftermath of the deadly blaze.
Danielle Gillam-Kirton, whose parents Pete and Fran Gillam were among the victims, recounted her distressing experience of finding her father's remains in the family's burnt-out BMW. Weeks after being assured the vehicle had been forensically searched, Gillam-Kirton discovered personal belongings, including her father's phone and keys, and later, fragments of bones in the car pound where the vehicle had been impounded.
Two forensic anthropologists who reviewed images of the bones identified them as human, contradicting the initial assessment by senior officers who suggested they belonged to animals. Gillam-Kirton stated that these findings lead her to believe the car was not properly searched by police.
She expressed her ongoing distress, describing the situation as an "ongoing nightmare" and a "fight for decency and respect." Concerns have also been raised about the communication from the British Consulate, which reportedly informed her that the bones had not yet been tested or their location confirmed, weeks after they were handed to the police.
The wildfire, which occurred in July near Almeria, claimed the lives of 15 people, including the nine British nationals from the village of Bedar. The area, known for its desirable villas and narrow access roads, is notoriously prone to wildfires. Families of the victims have questioned whether residents were adequately warned of the dangers and if evacuation procedures were sufficient.
Regional officials have suggested that residents were given ample time to evacuate and that some ignored advice. However, families, such as that of Michael and Christine Chard, who had lived in Bedar for 25 years, have refuted these claims, stating there were no clear instructions and that their parents died trying to escape the blaze. The Chards' son noted that his father's mobility issues would have made a rapid escape difficult without a clear directive.
Malcolm Timbrell, who was present with his wife Annette Kilgore, recounted how they were trapped, with Kilgore dying in a vehicle that caught fire while Timbrell managed to escape. He later returned to retrieve their pets and found scattered remains of victims.
Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt, whose father Stanislas was among those who died, described returning to the site to recover his father's dog and being disturbed by the presence of victims' remains and belongings, which he observed were still there when relatives returned weeks later to create a memorial.
Several families, including the Gillams and Chards, have united to demand an investigation into the wildfire's cause, the handling of the incident, and measures to prevent future tragedies. Their stated aim is not to assign blame to individuals but to obtain answers and potentially save lives in the future. They have launched a website, helpbedar.com, to support their efforts.