Deaths reported in ‘serious incident’ that sparked fire at Canadian military base

Canada’s defense minister says that people were killed and injured in an incident at a military base in Alberta that caused a major fire.

“I’m saddened to share that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident on the base,” Defense Minister David McGuinty says.

McGuinty does not provide casualty figures or details about what caused the incident. He says the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were involved in the investigation and describes the situation as “very, very active and delicate.”

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police says officers were called following reports of a fire in a training area at the base.

The Canadian Armed Forces and federal, provincial and local authorities were coordinating the emergency response, he says. The nearby community of Wainwright was providing hospital and firefighting support.

The Municipal District of Wainwright says the fire crossed the military base’s perimeter fence and was spreading rapidly in high winds. Firefighters from multiple jurisdictions were responding, and no evacuation order was in effect.

Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, about 180 kilometers (112 miles) southeast of Edmonton, is one of Canada’s busiest military training bases, where soldiers prepare for combat operations. It is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides military training.

McGuinty says authorities are still working to determine what happened and expected to provide further information.