Why was there a minute of silence before the Spain vs Belgium World Cup game?
A moment of reflection was held ahead of kick-off.
Ahead of the World Cup quarter-final game between Spain and Belgium, a minute of silence was held at SoFi Stadium in LA. It was perfectly observed by both sets of players and all the fans inside the ground, but many who were not aware were asking the question: why?
The reason behind the minute of silence was in memory of the 12 lives lost in the fires tearing through Almería in southern Spain. High temperatures cause forest fires at this time of year across much of the Iberian Peninsula and this year is no different, only with a hugely tragic outcome.
The second heatwave of the summer has hit Spain and temperatures have soared to record highs, with wildfires affecting much of the southeastern region. It is thought that 12 people have lost their lives and around 8 have been injured: those who have survived have seen life-changing damage to their homes and the surrounding areas.
Authorities are still working to establish whether or not there have been more victims.
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