A British mother of three has died and her partner remains in critical condition after they were engulfed by a wildfire in southern Spain. Lisa Fryett and Simon Batchelor, from Essex, were in the Los Gallardos neighborhood near Bédar when the blaze erupted on July 9.
Authorities discovered at least 11 people dead and several injured the following morning, including Fryett and Batchelor, who were found on the mountainside in critical condition. The Almería wildfire became Spain's third deadliest on record, claiming the lives of at least 13 people and injuring 17, with 1,300 evacuations.
Fryett succumbed to her injuries on July 28, surrounded by her family in Spain. Her son Alfie paid tribute to her online, stating, "Words genuinely can’t describe how upset I am right now writing this... but yesterday we said goodbye to my beautiful mum."
Mia Witt, the daughter of Fryett's twin sister Carly's fiancé, Mark Witt, established a GoFundMe page to assist the family with significant costs not covered by insurance. The page has raised over £65,000.
"It is with the deepest sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that our beautiful Lisa passed away on the 28th of July 2026, surrounded by her loving family in Spain," Witt wrote on the fundraising page. "Our hearts are completely broken, and there are simply no words to describe the pain we are feeling. Lisa fought so incredibly hard, and we are so grateful that her loved ones were able to be by her side, surrounding her with love until the very end."
Some of the funds will support Fryett's funeral arrangements, while continued prayers and support were requested for Simon Batchelor, who remains in critical condition. Witt expressed gratitude for the public's kindness and support during the family's difficult time.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed they are supporting Fryett's family and are in contact with local authorities. The cause of the fire has not been officially confirmed, though witnesses reported that a downed power line may have sparked the blaze.
