Ana Sims, 73, was one of 14 people who tragically lost their lives in the Almería wildfire in Andalucía, Spain after she and husband Pedro Rodriguez were trapped by raging flames
The pair had reportedly tried to outrun the flames in their car(Image: Jam Press)
An expat who tragically perished in a wildfire sent a text saying “we stupidly waited too long” just moments before being consumed by the flames. Ana Sims was one of the many unfortunate victims of the dreadful wildfires that have ravaged Spain and France this summer.
The 73-year-old was among numerous foreign nationals caught up in the most catastrophic wildfire in Almería, Andalucía, Spain’s history. The American photographer had resided with her husband Pedro Rodriguez in the Bedar area for the past 40 years.
On July 14, it was confirmed that the couple were among the 14 people who lost their lives in the blaze, as reported by NeedToKnow.
The horror wildfires took the lives of 14 people(Image: Getty Images)
It is believed that the pair attempted to escape the flames in their car but ended up trapped in the raging inferno. Their bodies were found in their charred vehicle by emergency services.
In the moments leading up to their tragic end, Ana sent a series of WhatsApp messages to a friend. These texts were sent to Lenox Napier, where she revealed that the wildfire was directly across from their home.
Chillingly, one of the messages reads: ‘We’re out but there’s hardly anywhere to go. We stupidly waited too long’, as reported by the Olive Press.
The couple’s deaths were confirmed on July 14(Image: Jam Press)
After the messages sent on July 9, there was silence, leaving Napier fearing the worst.
In an exclusive interview with the Olive Press, the 72-year-old expressed a ‘growing pain’ inside him, believing that Ana had been caught in the fire.
The five-day blazes ravaged more than 7,000 hectares(Image: Francis Gonzalez/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)
The couple’s deaths were confirmed on July 14.
Napier told the Olive Press: “I kept telling myself that maybe Ana wasn’t texting anymore because she had no coverage.
Ana sent a chilling last text(Image: Jam Press)
“But there was this growing pain inside me that told me she hadn’t made it.”
The five-day blazes ravaged more than 7,000 hectares and forced 1,500 residents to flee their homes.
The casualties also included seven Brits, three Belgians and one French national.
