(LOS GALLARDOS, Spain) — At least 12 people have died and 23 others are unaccounted for as firefighters in southern Spain battle a rapidly spreading wildfire, officials said.
Emergency services in Andalusia said the death toll rose overnight amid the devastating blaze.
Andalusian regional leader Juanma Moreno said in a post on X that eight people had also been injured, including four who were in serious condition.
In an interview Friday morning on Spanish radio, Moreno said four of those killed were believed to be British nationals who became trapped in a car while trying to escape the flames.
The majority of the victims were from outside Spain, particularly British and Belgian nationals, Moreno said later Friday, but added that authorities are still working to identify the deceased.
The wildfire, burning in the municipality of Los Gallardos in Spain’s southeastern Almeria province, continued to spread rapidly, with Moreno warning that weather conditions remained unfavorable for firefighters.
“The consequences are devastating,” Moreno said in his post on X.
Speaking to reporters Friday evening in Turre, a couple of miles from the wildfire in Los Gallardos, Moreno called the blaze a “major tragedy” and warned Spain is facing a challenging summer due to heavy winter rainfall that fueled a surge in spring undergrowth which has now dried out with the heatwaves.
Emergency crews on Friday were continuing search-and-rescue operations as they worked to locate the people still reported missing.
Moreno told reporters that firefighters were battling to control one of the fastest and most complex wildfires in the Andalusia region in years.
Spanish officials cautioned that the full scale of the disaster is still emerging as rescue efforts continue and officials work to identify victims.
Earlier Friday, a regional government official said in an interview that the fire was likely caused by an electric poll which had fallen.
The regional minister for emergencies in Andalusia, Antonio Sanz Cabello, said on Friday that last night was “a truly tragic night” with “terrible consequences.”
He said fighting the fire has been made more complicated by the remote terrain and the lack of access for heavy machinery. Sixteen aircraft are being used to fight the wildfire.
Cabello urged people to take maximum care and said teams are still fighting the wildfire in Los Gallardos “with all their strength.”
Andalusia’s government has urged people to be careful and follow all evacuation instructions from officials.
ABC News’ Claire Bower contributed to this report.
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