Briton tells of surviving Spain wildfire in car as wife and friends died trying to run to safety
Briton tells of surviving Spain wildfire – Malcolm Timbrell, a 70-year-old British man, recounted his harrowing experience during the recent Spanish wildfires, which claimed the lives of his wife Annette Kilgore and 12 others. The tragedy struck the village of Bédar, in Almeria province, on Thursday evening, leaving 13 fatalities in its wake. As the flames surged toward their home, the couple and neighbors faced a split-second decision to flee, with Malcolm ultimately choosing to return for their cats.
“You’d never imagine it could happen,” he said. “And when it does, and you’re the only survivor, then you’re left in a situation of, ‘What can I do?'”
The pair had previously shared their property with the public after appearing on Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun. Malcolm described Annette as a “happy, outgoing person” who had spent 17 years traveling and building friendships. “We had an amazing life together—now it’s stopped,” he added, reflecting on the loss of his partner and friends.
As the fire advanced rapidly, aided by fierce winds, the group opted to flee in vehicles. However, Malcolm chose to head back for their two cats, Charlie and Lilly. “If we’d have done the sensible thing and gone the other way, we both would be alive,” he said. “But when you’ve got animals, you don’t think like that.”
“My wife and our other seven friends and neighbors—against me screaming at them not to—decided the only safe way was to walk out in front of the firewall,” he explained. “I’ve subsequently heard that that fire wall was moving at 20 kilometers per hour, plus. They had no chance.”
Malcolm found himself stranded as the flames consumed the area, but he managed to take refuge in one of the abandoned cars. “Of the six cars, four of them instantly combusted,” he said. “As each one started to go, I moved back one car. 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.”
Emergency workers later rescued Malcolm, though eight bodies were discovered on a path leading away from his home. Four scorched vehicles remained as evidence of the fire’s devastation. Spanish authorities confirmed four more victims, including three Britons and one each from France, Belgium, and Spain, were recovered from a right-hand drive car.
Malcolm emphasized that the fire’s speed and intensity were unprecedented. “Local authorities didn’t have time to get the seaplanes here before dark,” he said. “The helicopters couldn’t get up because of the smoke.” He noted the combination of high winds, dry land, and soaring temperatures made survival nearly impossible.
Despite the loss, Malcolm expressed gratitude for the support from friends across nationalities. The couple had moved to Spain after years of sailing together, having each lost a partner to terminal illness. They had dreamed of spending their final years in the Andalusian countryside. “There’s just that little spark of hope,” he said, “even though I know a body has been found clutching a cat. Hard cold facts are pointing to the bodies they’ve found.”
Malcolm also highlighted the role of local police, who have been keeping him informed about their efforts. However, he acknowledged the emotional toll of the upcoming days as he grapples with the magnitude of his grief. “So we are just waiting now for DNA clarification,” he concluded.
