Spain wildfires: Survivors recount escape from deadly blaze

At least 12 people died in one of southern Spain's worst wildfires, as dramatic accounts reveal victims' desperate attempts to escape the flames. Authorities mobilized over 460 emergency workers to combat the blaze near Los Gallardos in Almería province.

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In just 15 minutes, it went from a light haze to black smoke and then to flames. It was truly terrifying and happened incredibly fast.

Regional minister Antonio Sanz stated that at least 1,405 residents were evacuated. He noted that some victims died in a car, while seven others perished trying to flee on foot. Sanz described a dry riverbed, where some victims attempted to escape, as a "deadly trap." He added that the victims are largely believed to be foreign nationals, pending official identification.

Witnesses described the disaster as a "bomb" hitting the town, with flames spreading with terrifying speed. Lucinda Curtois, who was on vacation with her family, recounted how the situation escalated from a light haze to black smoke and flames within 15 minutes. "It was truly terrifying and happened incredibly fast," she told the BBC. Her family, caught in the evacuation, narrowly escaped by car but reported friends who fled on foot are still missing.

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It was almost like a giant mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke, like after a bomb explosion.

Another local, Jose Antonio Flores, shared his harrowing experience, describing the scene as a "giant mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke, like after a bomb explosion." The family eventually reached a hotel, but the ordeal highlighted the rapid and devastating nature of the wildfires, leaving a trail of destruction and loss.

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All indications are that the victims are, for the most part, if not entirely, foreign citizens, but this cannot be confirmed until their identities are officially established.