Four die in Canadian military base fire – everything we know

Four service members were killed and dozens more injured at a fire at a military base in Alberta, Canada, on Saturday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described it as one of the worst peacetime tragedies for Canada’s military on domestic soil. Here’s everything we know so far. What happened? A smouldering grass fire near Canadian Forces Base Wainwright was whipped into an inferno by strong winds on Saturday afternoon. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said officers were called shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday following reports of a fire in a training area at the base, where ‌personnel were carrying out exercises. Firefighters faced a volatile situation. Large areas of the province were hit during the day by a windstorm with gusts up to 62 mph. Major General Wade Rutland told reporters at a news conference the sudden high winds ⁠and resulting spread of the fire was an “uncommon, rapid” event in which the flames advanced 1 km in 30 to 60 seconds. “I’ve certainly ​never seen anything like it,” said Rutland, commander of 1st Canadian Division, which is based in Edmonton, about 210 km west of the military ​site. By 11 p.m., the Municipal District of Wainwright said on social media the fire was being held and that property and critical infrastructure were protected. There was no evacuation order for residents. Carney said a “violent, fast-moving fire swept through the base”. Four Canadian soldiers were confirmed killed in the blaze, Reuters reported, with 39 people in hospital and 19 in critical condition as of Sunday night. What was the cause? Investigations are ongoing, but the authorities did rule out terrorism as a cause, and also said they did not believe the region’s extensive oil and gas infrastructure had anything to do with the incident. Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper reported on Sunday that a smouldering grass fire was whipped into a wall of flames by high winds before engulfing a firing range, citing internal military communications. Defense Minister David McGuinty said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were involved in investigating the incident and described the situation as “very, very active and delicate.” He said authorities were still working to determine what happened and expected to provide further information. McGuinty said on Sunday that he was traveling to Edmonton to be briefed on the latest developments. He said the military was working closely with Alberta’s government and local authorities. Firefighters continue to work on hot spots the day after the fire (Photo: REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier) How many people were injured? Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on Sunday that 39 people were hospitalised, including at least 19 in critical condition. Officials identified the dead as Sergeant Morgan Wong, Private Shaun Farrell, Private Aidan Goulding and Private Hayden Lykkemark. The service members killed and injured were participating in military training when the fire broke out Saturday. Those affected included reservists and soldiers from Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, one of Canada’s most storied military regiments. The personnel had come from bases across the country to train at Wainwright. CFB Wainwright is one of Canada’s busiest military training bases, where soldiers prepare for combat operations. It is home to the Canadian Maneuver Training Center, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides military training. CFB Wainwright had 1,310 military and civilian personnel stationed there as of 2021, according to census data. Rutland said 85 soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, were in “high intensity” combat training using live munitions at the base, ‌which is ⁠located in a prairie setting. The soldiers were preparing for deployment to Latvia, where Canadian forces currently have their largest international military operation. The wounded were being treated in Wainwright, Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary. Acute Care Alberta said several hospitals across the province had activated a “Code Orange,” an emergency designation used when multiple severely injured patients require coordinated medical care. The agency added that emergency medical resources were stretched so thin that extremely few ambulances were available in the Edmonton area and it urged people to avoid the University of Alberta Hospital emergency department if possible. A doctor at a hospital in the city of Edmonton, 180 kilometers (112 miles) northwest, told Canada’s national broadcaster that patients were taken to hospitals across the city as healthcare facilities around the base became “completely overwhelmed” by the number of people needing care. “This number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton,” Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, told CBC News. “It is more patients than any of us want to count right now. It’s a disaster. It’s a one in every 15- to 25-year disaster.” Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh confirmed the town’s small hospital was not designed to handle a mass-casualty incident but praised the response of local medical personnel. He said helicopters and planes had been transporting patients to other facilities for treatment. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his province was sending assistance to Alberta but did not specify what resources were being deployed. The Canadian flag flies at haft-mast at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright (Photo: REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier) What did Prime Minister Mark Carney say? Speaking in a televised address, Carney said the families of those killed had been notified and that the situation was still evolving. “The nation is in mourning for those brave members of our Armed Forces whom ⁠we have lost,” Carney added on Sunday. Carney praised emergency crews who battled the fire through the night and said STARS air ambulance helicopters had flown in from Edmonton and Saskatoon. He also confirmed that flags would fly at half-staff on federal buildings across the country in honour of those affected by the tragedy. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the fire as “significant and tragic” and said it was affecting many military personnel. Canadian Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said he had spoken with Carney and the defense minister to offer support to those affected by the fire. “Pray for Wainwright, everyone,” Poilievre said in a social media post. He urged people in the area to follow emergency instructions and keep roads clear for first responders.