Four people died and dozens more were injured after a fire broke out at a Canadian military base in Alberta on Saturday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sunday afternoon.
“A violent, fast-moving fire swept through a Canadian armed forces base in Wainwright, Alberta. What followed was one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime,” the prime minister said.
“The nation is in mourning for those brave members of our armed forces whom we have lost, and I have asked that the flags on all federal buildings to be flown at half-mast to honor them,” he added.
Defense Minister David McGuinty said the fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright was started by an unspecified “serious incident.” The fire spread quickly due to high winds in the area as civilian and military crews worked to contain the blaze, and officials said the immediate focus is addressing those who were affected.
“I am saddened to share that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident on the base,” McGuinty said in a video statement. “We will have more to say in the coming hours and days. At this time, our thoughts are with the families and with everyone impacted by this tragic event. And I want to thank, in particular, the first responders and everyone providing assistance at a very difficult time.”
“I cannot recall such an incident in my short time for sure as a minister, and I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” he added.
The Canadian Armed Forces said in an earlier statement that teams are still working to identify those killed in the fire.
“It is with profound sadness that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) confirms the incident resulted in fatalities and injuries,” the statement said. “As emergency responders continue their work and the situation continues to evolve, the full extent of the impact remains under assessment. Our immediate priority is supporting those affected and notifying next of kin. We will not confirm casualty or injury details until that process is complete.”
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they were notified of a fire in a training area of the installation shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday. The area was already experiencing an intense windstorm that snapped trees, and officials said that by 11 p.m., the fire had been contained and critical infrastructure was protected. An evacuation order was not issued for the nearby town of Wainwright, which is home to 7,000 residents.
Many of the affected were sent to nearby Edmonton for treatment, and a doctor from the area hospital called the incident “a one in every 15- to 25-year disaster.”
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“I cannot recall such an incident in my short time for sure as a minister, but I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” McGuinty told reporters in Ottawa.
CFB Wainwright is located in east-central Alberta and is one of the country’s principal training facilities. The base is home to roughly 1,300 personnel, with many temporarily stationed for training for the army’s field force units.