Four dead and 39 in hospital after fire at Canadian military base

Four Canadian military personnel have died and 39 people are in hospital after a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, where soldiers were conducting live-fire training. At least 19 of those in hospital are critically ill, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on Sunday. [1]

The fire began at about 16:00 local time on Saturday and has been contained. Its cause remains under investigation. Canadian military officials said there were no indications it was linked to terrorism or outside interference.

The BBC identified the dead as Sgt Morgan Wong, Pte Shaun Farrell, Pte Aidan Goulding and Pte Hayden Lykkemark. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the deaths “one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime”.

Maj-Gen Wade Rutland said infantry personnel had been training with live munitions at a grenade range and an attack range. A grass fire began about a kilometre away and spread towards the range; Rutland said uncommonly strong winds caused it to spread rapidly and change direction towards an administrative area. The circumstances are still being investigated. [1]

Emergency crews and ambulances responded through the night. Alberta’s health agency said it sent 30 units to Wainwright, including 22 ground ambulances and eight aircraft, and that patients were being treated at facilities across the province. A hospital in Edmonton, where patients were transferred, has since stood down its code-orange disaster response. [1]