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🇮🇱 Israel /Disasters & Emergencies

Son disputes Spanish wildfire orders after father's death

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A Belgian man's son disputes Spanish authorities' claims that his father and other wildfire victims ignored evacuation orders, stating no guidance was given.
  • The son claims his father and neighbors attempted to flee but were blocked by flames and only ran when the fire was imminent.
  • Regional government maintains that local officials went door-to-door and by phone to instruct residents to shelter in place or evacuate, contradicting the victim's son.

The son of a Belgian man who died in Spain's wildfires has challenged official accounts, asserting that his father and other victims were not given clear orders to shelter in place.

Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt, a virologist from Belgium, stated that his father, businessman Stanislas Verdonckt, spoke to him by phone shortly before the fire reached their village of Bedar in Almeria province. The elder Verdonckt was among eight victims found dead in a valley below their home. The son, who spoke to surviving neighbors after traveling to Spain, insists no officials informed the group about the approaching fire or advised them to stay put.

The people who died did not fail to follow any orders because no orders were given. No information was provided.

— Thomas-Wolf VerdoncktThe son of a victim disputes official claims about evacuation orders during the Spanish wildfires.

"The people who died did not fail to follow any orders because no orders were given. No information was provided," Verdonckt told Reuters. He added that the victims only attempted to flee when the flames were nearly upon them, describing it as a last resort.

They only started to run when the flames were almost upon them. That was their absolute last resort.

— Thomas-Wolf VerdoncktDescribing the circumstances under which the victims attempted to flee the wildfire.

Andalusia's regional government, however, issued a statement disputing Verdonckt's account. They claimed that Bedar's mayor, Angel Collado, had instructed the group, including Stanislas Verdonckt, to shelter in place. The government acknowledged the family's grief but stated that their perception of events might be influenced by suffering and helplessness.

The wildfire, one of Spain's deadliest, claimed 13 lives, mostly foreigners, and was declared contained on Sunday. Authorities stated that while no text alert was sent due to the complex terrain and evolving situation, local officials conducted door-to-door visits and phone calls to provide guidance.

We understand the families’ grief and respect the fact that, in times of immense suffering such as these, anger and a sense of helplessness in the face of tragedy can lead to a different perception of what happened.

— Andalusia Regional GovernmentThe government's response to the victim's son's claims, acknowledging grief while defending their actions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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