Death toll from Spanish forest fire rises to 14 after woman dies from burns

A forest fire that raged through the village of Bedar in Spain's Almeria province on July 9 has claimed 14 lives, marking the deadliest wildfire in the country in more than two decades. The latest victim, a woman who had sustained severe burns, died in a Seville hospital where she was receiving intensive care for injuries covering 70% of her body.

The fire, which swept through an area populated by many foreign nationals, spread with terrifying speed. Flames advanced up to 100 meters per minute, trapping people in their vehicles or as they attempted to flee on foot. The majority of the victims were identified as being from Great Britain and Belgium.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze, with initial suspicions pointing to a broken power line that ignited the parched vegetation due to the extreme heat. Recent days have seen new wildfires erupt across Spain, devastating tens of thousands of hectares west of Madrid, though no casualties have been reported from these more recent incidents.