Fast-moving fire kills four soldiers at Canadian base
A blaze at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta killed four service members and injured dozens, spreading a kilometre in under a minute, authorities said.
A fire that broke out around 16:00 local time on Saturday at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright spread rapidly across a grassy training area, killing four military personnel and injuring 39 others, including 19 in critical condition. Strong winds were reported to have shifted the blaze, allowing it to move a kilometre in 30 to 60 seconds, according to Maj-Gen Wade Rutland, commander of the 1st Canadian Division.
"The fire was 1km (0.6 miles) away when the wind shifted. It is not normal for a fire to move a kilometre in 30 to 60 seconds," Rutland said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney called the incident "one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime". The Canadian Armed Forces said the investigation had found no evidence of terrorist involvement or a link to oil and gas infrastructure.
The blaze occurred during high-intensity combat training with live munitions at a grenade and attack range. Rutland noted that officials were aware of the fire for several hours but allowed training to continue for a period of time.
"I spoke to my commander last night, and he said within 30 seconds to a minute they saw no fire, and then there was a fire right on top of them," Rutland added.
Emergency department doctor Warren Thirsk said the number of patients overwhelmed local healthcare facilities. Families of the deceased, including the parents of Shaun Farrell and Goulding, expressed their grief in statements to media outlets.