Spain: Blaze-death firefighters' bodies recovered

Rescue teams today recovered the bodies of 11 firefighters who died while trying to douse a forest blaze in central Spain – the deadliest in five years - believed to have been sparked by a barbecue.

The firefighters, who died yesterday battling the blaze in the central province of Guadalajara east of Madrid, have not been named. Their bodies were flown to the city of Guadalajara.

Police said a barbecue that had not been fully extinguished sparked the fire on Saturday in a nature reserve. The fire – one of the biggest in Spain this summer and the deadliest in years – has charred an estimated 8,000 hectares (19,770 acres) of pine woodland, environment minister Cristina Narbona said.

Police in Guadalajara quizzed a group of people who are believed to have been responsible for the barbecue, but so far had made no arrests.

The dead firefighters, aged between 24 and 52, were found at the top of a hill. Some were on the ground, others in the four vehicles that were also burned.

Miguel Tamayo, 45, a resident of nearby Riba de Saelices, drove up to the hill to see the fire damage and met the sole survivor of the group of firefighters.

“When I found the man, all his arms were burned,” said Tamayo. “I asked him were there more people and he said: ’They’re all dead.”’

Jose Maria Barreda, president of the regional government, said the fire was raging on one front, pushed by blustery winds and temperatures of up to 40C (104F). Army troops joined firefighters in fighting the flames, and officials confirmed that France was sending equipment, including two water-dropping planes.

“The fire has destroyed everything, and will continue to do so until it’s under control,” said Jose Luis Samper, mayor of Riba de Saelices.

Some 400 residents from four villages in the area were evacuated, although many returned to their homes on Sunday.

“We saw it coming, us older folk,” said retiree Andres Garcia Serrano of Albanque. “When there were 600 people living in the village, the pine grove was looked after, but now nobody looks after it. We haven’t seen anything like this before.”