Four Canadian Soldiers Killed, Dozens Injured in Rapid Wildfire at Alberta Training Base
A fast-moving grass fire during live-munitions training at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta killed four soldiers and injured 39 others. Authorities have ruled out terrorism and are investigating the cause of the blaze, which spread a kilometer in under a minute amid strong winds.
A deadly grass fire swept through a training area at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Saturday, killing four members of the Canadian military and injuring 39 others. The blaze broke out around 16:00 local time (22:00 GMT) while soldiers were conducting high-intensity combat training with live munitions at a grenade range and attack range.
The four service members who died were identified as Sgt Morgan Wong, Pte Shaun Farrell, Pte Aidan Goulding, and Pte Hayden Lykkemark. Thirty-nine people were injured and are receiving care in hospital, with at least 19 listed in critical condition.
Maj-Gen Wade Rutland stated that after a wind shift, the fire moved 1km (0.6 miles) in just 30 to 60 seconds, noting that this was not normal behavior for a fire. Forecasters had issued a wind warning for large parts of Alberta predicting gusts up to 90km/h (66mph). Rutland added that officials knew about the fire for several hours but decided training could continue for a certain amount of time before the rapid spread occurred.
Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as "one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime." National mourning and tributes have been paid to the victims.
Officials have ruled out terrorist activity as the cause of the fire. Authorities also do not believe the incident resulted from oil and gas infrastructure, despite witness reports of explosions. An investigation into the cause is expected to last at least one month.
The influx of casualties completely overwhelmed healthcare facilities in Wainwright, according to Warren Thirsk, an emergency department doctor at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is located about 130 miles east of Edmonton and typically houses about 690 military personnel and 300 civilian workers.