Elisa Menendez
A FIREFIGHTER has been found dead this morning after being swept away in extreme floods while on duty in Andalucia.
The body of Jose Gil Gutierrez, 47, a veteran firefighter from the Antequera barracks was found this morning at around 10am.
A search for the husband and father-of-two has been carried out since dawn, after a truck in which Gutierrez was travelling was hit by the extreme floods in Campillos, reported Diario Sur.
According to sources close to the search operation, firefighters in the truck had tried to get on the roof of the vehicle when Gutierrez lost grip and was dragged away by the current.
They had not heard from him since, despite search teams working ‘tirelessly’ throughout the night.
His body was later found around 6km from the vehicle.
#Meteorología podéis explicar de qué sirve poner alerta roja una vez han caído 120 litros en media hora? Campillos esta ahora mismo así. Gracias. pic.twitter.com/RaPdgEQnta
— Javier GM (@JaviGM1989) October 20, 2018
Mayor of Antequera, Manuel Baron has declared three days of official mourning in honour of an ‘Antequerano who has died in the act of service’.
Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, offered ‘all solidarity’ with Malaga towns ‘battered by the floods’ and expressed his condolences on Twitter to the firefighter’s family.
Toda mi solidaridad con los pueblos malagueños de Bobadilla, Campillos, Casarabonela, Teba y Ardales, golpeados por las inundaciones. Mi más sentido pésame a la familia del bombero fallecido trabajando en la zona. Ánimo y apoyo a los afectados y a los efectivos de emergencias.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) October 21, 2018
Gutierrez’s fellow service men are said to be ‘broken in pain’ and do not know a man more ‘passionate’ and dedicated to the job than him.
The father had been working as a firefighter between Antequera and Coin since the body was established, before that he worked as a Proteccion Civil volunteer for years.
