British mother was trapped for six hours in Spain wildfire before death, inquest hears

A British mother-of-three who suffered catastrophic burns after becoming trapped by a wildfire in southern Spain spent up to six hours waiting to be rescued before later dying in hospital, an inquest has heard.

Lisa Fryett, 47, from Canvey Island in Essex, was on holiday with her partner, Simon Batchelor, when a wildfire swept through the area around the villa where they were staying near Bedar and Los Gallardos in Almería province.

An opening hearing at Chelmsford Coroner’s Court heard that the couple became trapped as the blaze spread. Essex area coroner Michelle Brown said emergency services eventually rescued them after “five or six hours”.

Inquest hears rescue timeline

According to the coroner, Ms Fryett was on holiday in Spain when the wildfire engulfed the area around the property where she and Mr Batchelor were staying.

The inquest heard that both were rescued after spending several hours trapped by the fire before being taken for emergency medical treatment. Ms Fryett died in a hospital in Seville on July 28.

Her provisional medical cause of death was recorded as “extensive burns related changes”. The inquest has been adjourned until a future date while further investigations continue.

Severe burns after wildfire

The couple suffered burns to around 40% of their bodies during the wildfire, according to previously reported information following the rescue.

Spanish emergency teams located them after searching the devastated landscape. Earlier reports said the pair had pleaded for help because they wanted to see their children again.

Mr Batchelor survived the fire but remained in hospital following the incident, according to updates shared by the family’s fundraising campaign.

Wildfire devastated southern Spain

The fire that swept through Los Gallardos was one of several major wildfires to hit southern Spain during an exceptionally severe wildfire season.

Authorities carried out evacuations across affected communities as firefighters battled rapidly changing conditions driven by high temperatures and strong winds.

Sky News previously reported that the Los Gallardos wildfire resulted in at least 14 deaths, with Ms Fryett later becoming one of the victims after initially surviving the blaze.

Family supported by fundraising campaign

Following Ms Fryett’s death, relatives thanked the Spanish emergency services and local community for their support throughout the ordeal.

A GoFundMe campaign established to assist the family has raised more than £67,000, according to evidence heard during the inquest and updates published after her death.

The fundraiser has also provided updates on Mr Batchelor’s condition while expressing gratitude to the Guardia Civil officers and medical teams involved in the rescue operation.

The inquest into Ms Fryett’s death remains open, with a full hearing expected to take place at a later date once all evidence has been gathered.