Relatives of the 15 victims killed in the Almería hillside blaze are pushing for accountability after regional politicians dismissed calls for a public probe in favor of a criminal inquiry. Families contend that residents received no evacuation instructions, directly disputing regional emergency officials who claimed alerts could have caused widespread panic. Furthermore, Bédar's local emergency response plan had not been updated since 2019, despite the municipality's official classification as a wildfire risk zone. Grieving households are also seeking answers over the police force's handling of human remains and personal effects.
Key points
Bereaved families insist a parliamentary probe is necessary to expose institutional failu…: Bereaved families insist a parliamentary probe is necessary to expose institutional failures rather than solely relying on a criminal investigation.
Emergency planning in Bédar had lapsed for five years despite the area being officially d…: Emergency planning in Bédar had lapsed for five years despite the area being officially designated as an active wildfire risk zone.
Relatives continue to criticize officials for deflecting blame onto victims while mishand…: Relatives continue to criticize officials for deflecting blame onto victims while mishandling the return of personal remains and property.
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Relatives of Britons killed in this summer's wildfires in Spain have told the BBC they are disgusted, after regional politicians blocked an official inquiry into the disaster.
Nine British nationals were among the 15 people who died when fire ripped through the hillside village of Bédar, in the province of Almería in south-eastern Spain, on 9 July.
Families have criticised the authorities' actions, including the decision not to send an emergency alert to mobile phones as the flames closed in.
"If that evacuation warning had come through in time, my father would still be alive," says Duncan Chard, who blames failures by officials on the day for a number of the deaths.
He lost his father Michael and his dad's partner Christine.
The governing People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox in the Andalusian parliament have rejected a request for a commission of inquiry made by the opposition Socialist party to which Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez belongs.
The PP and Vox argued that an ongoing criminal investigation would provide the necessary answers.
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