Four Canadian soldiers killed in Alberta training-area fire; 19 people critically injured
Officials said a grass fire spread rapidly through a military training area in Alberta, killing four soldiers and leaving 39 people in hospital, including 19 in critical condition.
Wainwright, Canada. Four Canadian soldiers died after a smouldering grass fire rapidly spread through a training area at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, officials said Sunday. They reported that 39 people remained in hospital, with 19 in critical condition.
Winds drove rapid spread
Major General Wade Rutland told reporters the blaze started at about 4 p.m. MDT (2200 GMT) Saturday and was driven by winds reaching 96 kilometers (60 miles) per hour. Wind speeds had been below 50 km per hour before the fire, he said.
Rutland described the abrupt increase in wind and the fire’s rapid advance as unusual, saying flames travelled 1 km within 30 to 60 seconds.
“I’ve certainly never seen anything like it,” said Rutland, who commands 1st Canadian Division. The division is based in Edmonton, approximately 210 km west of the base.
Soldiers were preparing for Latvia deployment
According to Rutland, 85 soldiers belonging to the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, were conducting intensive combat exercises with live ammunition when the fire broke out at the prairie base.
He said the soldiers were preparing to deploy to Latvia, currently the location of Canada’s largest overseas military operation.
Authorities named those killed as Sergeant Morgan Wong, Private Shaun Farrell, Private Aidan Goulding and Private Hayden Lykkemark.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said many injured people would need specialised, intensive treatment lasting weeks or months.
National mourning and investigation
Prime Minister Mark Carney described the deaths as among the gravest peacetime tragedies suffered by the Canadian military within the country. On Sunday, he said Canada was mourning the service members and that he had directed federal buildings nationwide to fly flags at half-staff in their honour.
Rutland said an investigation was continuing and declined to offer a possible cause for the initial grass fire. He said officials did not believe the area’s extensive oil and gas infrastructure was connected to the incident, and he ruled out external interference.
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