Carney calls base fire one of Canada’s worst peacetime military tragedies
The fire broke out at around 16:00 local time (22:00 GMT) on Saturday at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, in a rural area of the western province of Alberta about 120 miles (193km) from Edmonton and 180 miles (290km) from Calgary, the province’s two largest cities. Prime Minister Mark Carney said a “violent, fast-moving fire swept through the base” and described the incident as “one of the worst peace time tragedies on Canadian soil in the history of the military.”
Carney confirmed on Sunday that four service members died. He said “dozens” had been “seriously wounded” but provided no further information on their conditions. Before Carney addressed the nation, Canadian media reported the death toll as seven, citing unnamed military sources. The prime minister did not indicate whether the government expects the death toll to rise. The names of those who lost their lives have not been identified, but their families have been informed.
Authorities have confirmed few details about what triggered the fire. Local media reported it may have been started when a gas main was struck during a live firing exercise taking place on the grounds. The Municipal District of Wainwright posted on social media that the fire had “spread rapidly due to high winds.” The Canadian defence ministry said the cause remains under investigation and that “at this time, there are no indications that it was the result of any terrorist activity.”
It has not been confirmed whether those injured were on the base’s sprawling ranges where exercises are carried out, or whether the fire spread to living quarters.
Carney said military and civilian fire crews “fought this fire throughout the night in some of the worst conditions imaginable, risking their lives to protect their fellow Canadians.” On Saturday evening, Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton declared a code orange — a disaster response protocol for a high-casualty incident — and stood it down on Sunday afternoon. Alberta’s health service said the emergency response lasted 10 hours and involved 22 ambulances and eight aircraft, and that ongoing care for the injured is expected to be “intensive.” A stream of ambulances was seen arriving at the hospital, and one doctor told Canadian public broadcaster CBC that the facility had been “completely overwhelmed” by the number of patients.
Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is one of the Canadian Army’s busiest military training bases, and its airfield is also used by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The base’s population fluctuates, but more than 1,000 people can be based there at any given time.