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Fatal Fire Breaks Out at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright
· Confirmed
In Short: A major fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta has killed and injured several people, disrupting advance voting for an upcoming referendum.
Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty confirmed Saturday that a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta had resulted in fatalities and injuries. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. local time, with the fire still burning into the evening.
According to reports from Abcnews and CBS News, the fire broke out at a military base about 180 kilometers southeast of Edmonton. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were involved in the investigation, describing the situation as “very, very active and delicate.”
The BBC (United Kingdom) reported that the fire was significant and tragic, affecting many military personnel. The RCMP stated that the fire had crossed the base’s fence and was spreading rapidly due to high winds, according to Aapnews (Australia).
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the fire as “significant and tragic,” and said it was affecting military personnel. The nearby community of Wainwright provided hospital and firefighting support, as reported by Abcnews and CBS News.
The fire disrupted advance voting ahead of Monday’s referendum on whether Alberta should begin a process that could lead to independence from Canada, according to Abcnews. The base had approximately 1,310 military and civilian personnel stationed there in 2021, with around 690 military personnel and 300 civilian workers, as reported by Fox News and the New York Post.
Canadian Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre offered support to those affected by the fire, as reported by Abcnews and CBS News. He also posted on social media, urging people to pray for Wainwright.
The Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defence, and partners across the federal government are working with the government of Alberta and municipal governments to mobilize all necessary support, according to McGuinty’s statement to the media.
The Municipal District of Wainwright said the blaze spread rapidly due to high winds and had torn through the fences of the base, as reported by Aapnews (Australia) and Moosejawtoday.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a post on X that the fire was the result of a serious incident at CFB Wainwright, and that the government was working closely with the Government of Alberta and local authorities.
The Town of Wainwright’s website states that the base is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre (CMTC), the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre (3 CDTC), and approximately 12 lodger units, as reported by Sasktoday (Canada) and Moosejawtoday.
Saskatchewan has deployed resources to Alberta and is ready to provide more if required to assist in responding to the serious incident at CFB Wainwright, as stated by Premier Scott Moe.
The fire began in the area of CFB Wainwright Saturday afternoon before powerful winds pushed flames beyond the military installation's perimeter fence, as reported by Westcentralonline.
What's confirmed
- EDMONTON, Alberta -- Canada’s defense minister said Saturday that people were killed and injured in an incident at a military base in Alberta that caused a major fire.
- 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.
- He said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were involved in the investigation and described the situation as “very, very active and delicate.” The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said officers were called shortly after 4 p.m.
- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the fire as “significant and tragic” and said it was affecting many military personnel.
- The nearby community of Wainwright was providing hospital and firefighting support.
- The Canadian Armed Forces and federal, provincial and local authorities were coordinating the emergency response, he said.
- Canadian Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said he had spoken with Carney and the defense minister to offer support to those affected by the 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 said.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney said a “serious incident creating a major fire” broke out at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Saturday afternoon.
- "Our hearts are with all those affected at CFB Wainwright and in the surrounding communities, as well as the first responders and those on the front lines of this tragic incident," said the premier in an X post at 8:47 p.m.
- On its website, the Town of Wainwright says the base is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre (CMTC), the 3 rd Canadian Division Training Centre (3 CDTC), and approximately 12 lodger units.
- The Municipal District of Wainwright said the fire crossed the base’s fence earlier on Saturday and was spreading rapidly due to high winds.
What's still developing
- "Our priority remains the welfare of our members, their families and their community, and my thoughts are with all those affected by this incident." McGuinty did not provide casualty figures or details about what caused the incident.
- Powerful winds contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, creating challenging conditions for crews attempting to contain the blaze and protect nearby communities.