A major fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta killed several people and injured dozens more on Saturday, the Canadian Armed Forces said. The full casualty count remained unclear Sunday morning as investigations continued.
Global News, citing unnamed military sources, reported at least seven people died and dozens more were injured when a gas line or gas well was struck during a live-fire training exercise. The fire broke out around 4 p.m. local time Saturday and spread rapidly due to wind gusts up to 100 kilometers per hour, a defence department spokeswoman told the BBC. Local officials said fire crews contained the blaze, though it tore through the base's perimeter fencing.
The Canadian Armed Forces said the full extent of the incident was still being assessed and that casualty details would not be released until that work was complete. A defence spokeswoman told the BBC on Sunday that investigations were ongoing but that there were "no indications that it was the result of any terrorist activity."
Defence Minister David McGuinty described the situation as "very, very active and delicate" while managing efforts with local authorities. Prime Minister Mark Carney said his "thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected." General Jennie Carignan, chief of Canada's defence staff, called it a "profoundly difficult moment" for the Canadian Armed Forces.
Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton declared a code orange, a disaster response protocol for mass-casualty incidents. Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department doctor there, told CBC that patient numbers would otherwise "overwhelm" Edmonton's healthcare facilities. "It is more patients than any of us want to count right now. It's a disaster. It's a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster," he said.
The base is one of Canada's busiest military training facilities, typically operating with about 690 military personnel and 300 civilian workers. Bruce Pugh, mayor of nearby Wainwright, said he believed the fire would become the region's largest-ever mass casualty event. "We have neighbours who are either serving or former members of the Canadian Armed Forces. We're integrated, our kids play in the same hockey teams," he told CBC. Saskatchewan and British Columbia have mobilized resources to support Alberta's response.