The death toll from a major forest fire in southeastern Spain has risen to 12, authorities in the autonomous community of Andalusia announced early Friday morning, July 10, the BBC reports.

A fire broke out on the afternoon of Thursday, July 9, in the municipality of Los Gallardos, in the province of Almería. Preliminary reports indicate that the blaze was caused by a downed power line, which allowed the flames to quickly spread to the wooded area along the road. Strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly over a large area, complicating the efforts of firefighting crews.

Initially, six deaths were reported in the village of Bedar, with some of the victims found in burnt-out vehicles. By Friday morning, the number of confirmed deaths had doubled to 12. At least 50 people suffered burns, injuries, or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Authorities evacuated residents from the Almocaysar, Fuente del Albarico, Los Pinos, La Serena, and Pinar districts; according to "El País", the evacuation affected approximately one thousand people. A 150-strong Military Emergency Unit has been deployed to the emergency zone, alongside 16 firefighting crews, four fire trucks, and medical units.

Andalusian Health Minister Antonio Sanz called the fire "the most destructive in the region's history" and described the situation as an "unprecedented tragedy." Regional President Juanma Moreno expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in Los Gallardos.

Firefighters are continuing efforts to contain the blaze. The fire in Almería broke out shortly after a major forest fire in southern France earlier this week, which forced the evacuation of more than 10 thousand people from two dozen towns and villages near the Spanish border.