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Four Canadian service members were killed and dozens injured after a major fire broke out during combat training at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Saturday.
The Canadian military confirmed the deaths on Sunday, identifying the victims as 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.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said 39 people were receiving hospital treatment as of Sunday afternoon, with at least 19 in critical condition. Others suffered less severe injuries.
The fire broke out while troops were conducting high-intensity combat training involving live munitions, including hand grenades and simulated attacks, Major General Wade Rutland said.
According to Rutland, a grass fire had been burning about one kilometre from the training area for several hours. Range control allowed the exercise to continue because the fire was considered contained and was not expected to approach the troops.
However, unusually strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly towards the training area, he said, describing the speed of its movement as highly unusual.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Rutland said the military had found no indication of outside interference or involvement of oil and gas infrastructure. Earlier, a Department of National Defence official told CBC that there was no indication of terrorism.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as one of the worst peacetime tragedies for the country’s armed forces.
“The nation is in mourning for those brave members of our armed forces whom we have lost,” he said.
The fire overwhelmed local healthcare facilities, prompting hospitals in Alberta to declare a code orange for a major influx of patients. Emergency Health Services Alberta deployed 30 units to Wainwright, including 22 ground ambulances, six fixed-wing aircraft and two rotary-wing aircraft.
Patients were transported to hospitals across Edmonton. The emergency response alert was lifted by Sunday afternoon.
Located about 210 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, CFB Wainwright is a major military training facility. The battalion involved in the exercise had been preparing for rapid-reaction duties and a planned deployment to Latvia in the spring as part of NATO’s mission to reinforce its eastern flank.
The fire also crossed the base’s perimeter fence before firefighting teams brought it under control, Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh said.
Source : CNN