A major fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta killed and injured a number of people on Saturday, Defense Minister David McGuinty said, as wind driven flames spread beyond the base into the surrounding countryside.
McGuinty confirmed the casualties but gave no figures. Local media put the number of dead at seven, with dozens more injured.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are involved in the investigation, and McGuinty called the situation “very, very active and delicate.”
What We Know So Far
The RCMP said officers were called shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday after reports of a fire in a training area at the base. Wainwright is one of the country’s busiest military training grounds. The nearby town has about 7,000 residents.
Fire crews worked late into the night. A windstorm had swept large parts of the province during the day, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres an hour (62 mph), toppling trees and sending signs and garbage cans across streets. The wind pushed the flames past the base boundary and into rural land.
By 11 p.m., the Municipal District of Wainwright said on social media that the fire was being held and that property and critical infrastructure were protected. No evacuation order was issued for residents.
Patients were taken to hospitals across Edmonton, about 180 kilometres (120 miles) northwest, because health care facilities near the base were “completely overwhelmed,” a doctor told CBC News.
Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, said the volume of patients would swamp the city. “It’s a disaster,” he said, calling it a one in every 15 to 25 year event.
Armed Forces members were at the scene alongside the RCMP, McGuinty said. Officials are still working to determine what happened.
What Authorities Are Saying
“I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” McGuinty told reporters in Ottawa. “We will have more to say in the coming hours and days,” he added.
Prime Minister Mark Carney described a “serious incident creating a major fire” and said his thoughts were with “all the brave women and men affected.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the fire “significant and tragic” and said it was affecting many military personnel. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his province was sending help to Alberta but did not say what resources were being deployed.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said he had spoken with Carney and McGuinty to offer support. He urged people near the base to follow emergency instructions and keep roads clear for first responders. “Pray for Wainwright, everyone,” he wrote.
Differing Accounts
The sources differ on the scale of the toll and on what started the fire. The Independent, citing local media, put the dead at seven with dozens injured. The AP said it was not immediately clear how many people were killed or hurt, and McGuinty did not give a number.
The Independent’s headline referred to an explosion. The RCMP and the AP described a fire in a training area, and officials have not said what caused it.
Why This Matters
CFB Wainwright is a central training site where soldiers prepare for combat operations. It is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which runs realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides military instruction. Casualties among military personnel there drew responses within hours from the prime minister, the defense minister, two premiers and the opposition leader.
The fire also disrupted advance voting ahead of Monday’s referendum on whether Alberta should begin a process that could lead to independence from Canada. Elections Alberta said two polling locations, in Lloydminster and Vermilion, closed early Saturday and that the ballots were transported securely.
What Happens Next
McGuinty said he expects to share more information in the coming hours and days, and called the matter “soon to be an active and delicate investigation.” The cause of the fire and the final number of dead and injured have not been announced. Alberta’s referendum vote is set for Monday.
Sources: the Associated Press and The Independent, citing the defense minister, the RCMP, CBC News
