Seven British nationals are among the 13 foreign victims of a deadly wildfire that swept through Andalusia in southern Spain, authorities confirmed Tuesday after completing post-mortem examinations.
Officials stated that in addition to the seven Britons, three victims were from Belgium, one was from France, and one was from the United States. The final victim was a Spanish citizen. The blaze, which occurred last Thursday, ravaged the municipality of Bédar in the Almería province, becoming one of Spain's deadliest fires in recent years.
Annette Kilgore, 69, who, along with her husband Malcolm Timbrell, 70, was featured on the Channel 4 reality show 'A Place in the Sun' in 2023, is feared to be among the British casualties. The couple had moved to Bédar from Cornwall after purchasing a stone cottage there.
Timbrell recounted how he and his wife became separated from seven friends and neighbors as the fire advanced. He described their attempt to flee by car, during which he returned to their home to rescue their two cats. Upon attempting to rejoin his wife and their companions, he found they had abandoned their vehicles and were attempting to escape on foot. Timbrell stated that they had no chance against the rapidly moving flames, which he heard were traveling at over 20 km/h (12 mph).
He and one cat survived by sheltering in one of two cars that, despite intense heat, did not combust. "For some reason of fate, the last two cars, although very, very badly singed and paint bubbled and burnt, survived. And I survived inside the last one with a cat," Timbrell told the BBC. He expressed his devastation, saying, "We have had an amazing life together and now it's stopped."
Pete and Fran Gillam, also residents of Bédar, were confirmed among the deceased by their daughter, Danielle Gillam-Kirton. She last heard from her parents via text message on Thursday evening as they were evacuating, but subsequent attempts to contact them failed.
In a social media post, Gillam-Kirton confirmed the loss of her parents, stating, "We are heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire."
The fire, reportedly caused by an electrical cable falling on a road, consumed approximately 7,000 hectares (over 17,000 acres) of land. Emergency services recovered 12 bodies initially, requiring DNA analysis for identification due to severe burns. The fire has since been brought under control, and residents have been permitted to return to their homes since Sunday.
Spain has been experiencing increasingly severe heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures frequently exceeding 40C, creating conditions conducive to wildfires. In 2025, the European Forest Fire Information System reported that over 393,000 hectares were destroyed by fire in Spain, the highest figure in recent history.