Survivor of Almeria Wildfire Tells of Fatal Escape and Cats

Sun Sep 06 2026 14:08:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 70‑year‑old Briton recounts how he became the lone survivor of a deadly blaze that claimed the lives of his wife, friends and neighbours in Spain.

Malcolm Timbrell survived the Almería wildfire after a frantic escape that left his wife and 12 others dead. He recounts the fierce rush to flee by car, the heartbreak of leaving their cats, and the misfortune of being the only one left intact. The fire, one of Spain’s worst, consumed the village of Bédar and sparked international mourning. Malcolm’s story offers a glimpse into the chaos and resilience amid catastrophe.

Almería Wildfire Survivor: ‘I Found a Cat, Lost a Life’

On Thursday night a blaze that consumed the Andalusian village of Bédar swept through the homes, killing Malcolm Timbrell’s wife Annette and eleven neighbours. The 70‑year‑old British man, who had lived in the town for years, later became the sole survivor, telling BBC reporters about the chaotic rush to escape and the desperate decisions that followed.

"I’d never imagined it could happen," he said, standing outside his charred house high on a hillside. "When you are the only one left, it feels like a question I can’t answer – what can I do next?"

Malcolm, 70, had moved to Spain with his partner Annette after years of sailing together. The pair had both lost former husbands to terminal illnesses and had dreamed of spending their later years in peace of the countryside.

When the fire approached, the couple and neighbours made a quick decision to flee in cars. As the smoke thickened, they drove toward the only trail that cut across the fire line. In the chaos, Malcolm found himself torn from his group; his wife and seven friends had left, fearing the speed of the flames. He later decided to return to the house, driven by his love for their cats, Charlie and Lilly.

"If we had left the cats behind, we might have survived," he recalled. "But if you love animals, you can’t think purely rationally.”

Following his return, the blaze rapidly engulfed four cars that crashed. The last two, though severely singed, stayed intact enough for Malcolm to survive within, holding one of the cats until he was rescued by emergency crews. The flames travelled at an estimated 13 miles per hour, cutting no space for most of the survivors to escape.

After the fire passed, rescuers found eight bodies and four heavily scorched vehicles in the path from the house. Among the victims were additional British nationals and three people from France, Belgium and Spain. A 93‑year‑old woman was later declared dead in hospital, her identity still pending confirmation.

Malcolm said that the lack of a mobile alert system had upset many expatriates, though he refrains from drawing blame. “It’s not about responsibility. It’s about being overwhelmed by the silence of loss,” he said.

He remains under emotional strain, awaiting DNA evidence to confirm the identities of the deceased. He now waits for community support and the recovery process to continue.