Major fire at Canada military base leaves four dead, dozens injured

ByJessica Murphy, Canada digital editor and Nadine Yousif, Senior Canada reporter, Reporting fromEdmonton.

Key points

• According to The BBC has, sgt Morgan Wong, Pte Shaun Farrell, Pte Aidan Goulding and Pte Hayden Lykkemark have died.
• Addressing the nation on Sunday from Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney described it as "one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime".
• Regarding 690 military personnel and 300 civilian workers are on site on a typical day.
• The individuals who were hurt were on the attack range and included reservists and soldiers from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, office-holders noted.
• Fire and rescue teams are remaining at the scene to contain any potential flare-ups, Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh informed the BBC.

Four members of the Canadian military have died and dozens were injured in a major fire at a base in the province of Alberta.

For context, the fire broke out at regarding 16: 00 local time (22: 00 GMT) on Saturday at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, one of the country's busiest military training bases, and is now contained. Its cause is still unclear, but authorities stated it did not appear tied to "terrorist activity".

"The nation is in mourning for those brave members of our armed forces who we have lost, " remarked Carney.

Of the 39 injured individuals being cared for in hospital, at least 19 are in a critical condition, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated at a press briefing on Sunday evening.

Members of the infantry had been conducting "high-intensity combat training with live munitions" at a grenade range and attack range, where 10 soldiers practise attacking a simulated enemy, Maj-Gen Wade Rutland remarked to journalists at the briefing.

"There was a multitude of ordnance moving through the Wainwright training area, " he remarked, including a grenade launcher, grenades, small arms and ammunition.

For context, a grass fire ignited regarding 1km (0.6 miles) away, with the cause at present under investigation, and moved toward the attack range.

"What I would say is there was multiple training activities happening throughout the training area at the time, " he remarked. "Uncommonly strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly and shift direction towards the range administrative area."

Cannon fire had been heard coming from the base on Saturday before it suddenly halted, Mayor Pugh informed the BBC, noting it's not uncommon to hear cannons being fired there.

News then came through that local emergency services had been deployed to an "all hands on deck" situation.

Carney remarked military and emergency crews fought the flames throughout the night in "some of the worst conditions imaginable".

Meanwhile, the individuals who were hurt were on the attack range and included reservists and soldiers from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, office-holders noted.

In an official note early on Sunday, the Canadian Armed Forces remarked that "while the incident remains under investigation, at this time, there are no indications that it was the result of any terrorist activity".

Rutland informed the briefing: "We do not believe this to be a result of any oil and gas infrastructure nor any outside interference".

What we know so far regarding deadly fire at Canadian military base.

Wainwright, regarding 210km (130 miles) east of Edmonton, Alberta's capital, is one of the main bases employed by the Canadian military for live-fire training exercises, and it houses troops from Canada and allied countries. Regarding 690 military personnel and 300 civilian workers are on site on a typical day.

Warren Thirsk, an emergency department doctor at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, informed broadcaster CBC that the number of patients involved in the incident had "completely overwhelmed" healthcare facilities in Wainwright.

For context, the Royal Alexandra Hospital is in Edmonton, where patients are being transferred. The hospital at first declared a code orange – a disaster-response protocol for a high-casualty incident. That has since been stood down.

In practice, the provincial health agency remarked in an official note on Sunday that it deployed 30 units directly into Wainwright, including 22 ground ambulances, six fixed-wing and two rotary wing units.

"It is anticipated that care for patients impacted by this incident will be intensive and will add to existing high demand on acute care in Alberta, " it remarked, adding that patients were being treated at facilities throughout the province.

STARS, the regional air ambulance service, remarked aircraft and crews from Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Calgary had been deployed.

Brandon Simmons, who lives in long-term care at the Wainwright Health Centre, informed Reuters that when code orange was unveiled, nurses dropped everything and immediately began grabbing stretchers, gurneys and medical equipment before running to the front entrance. Ambulances kept coming "throughout the night", he remarked.

"I heard people screaming inside of those vehicles that will never end up being out of my mind, " he recalled, saying it was "like a scene from a war movie". Extra reporting by Lisa Lambert.

Taken together, the developments around major fire at Canada military base leaves four dead, dozens injured point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.