Four Canadian service members were killed and 39 people injured, including 19 critically, in a fire at Canada's largest military base in Alberta on Saturday. The soldiers were conducting combat training with live munitions at the military base when the incident occurred, officials said.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the toll and called the incident one of the worst military tragedies on Canadian soil in peacetime. He also ordered flags lowered to half-staff on federal buildings nationwide.
The four service members killed in the incident were all serving with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, reported the BBC. They were: Sgt. Morgan Wong of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, and Privates Shaun Farrell, Aidan Goulding, and Hayden Lykkemark of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
Thirty-nine patients are being treated in the hospital, and at least 19 are in critical condition. Eight were stable and 12 were receiving treatment for minor injuries, said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
Started as a grass fire
What started as a grass fire soon spread to the military base. The officials were aware of the fire and thought it was sufficiently contained to allow training to continue.
“The fire was a kilometer away when the wind shifted. That is not normal for a fire to move a kilometer in 36 seconds,” said Maj. Gen. Wade Rutland at a news conference in Edmonton.
Rutland said investigators had not determined what ignited the grass fire and the matter is still being investigated.
Located about 180 kilometers (112 miles) southeast of Edmonton, Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is one of the country's busiest military training bases. It is also home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises.
