Four Canadian soldiers have died and 39 people have been hospitalized after a rapidly spreading fire at Base Wainwright in the province of Alberta. At least 19 of the injured are in critical condition, eight are stable and 12 are receiving medical treatment for minor injuries, Alberta Premier Daniel Smith said.
The fire broke out on October 17 in the base's training area while soldiers were participating in intensive training with live ammunition. According to the Canadian Armed Forces, the fire spread quickly outside the area, aided by strong winds.
The commander of the 1st Canadian Division, Major General Wade Rutland, said the fire traveled about one kilometer in approximately 36 seconds after a sudden change in the wind.
According to him, the military command was aware of the fire several hours earlier, but assessed that it was under control and the training could continue. After the wind change, the flames reached the area where the training was taking place in less than a minute. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Injured transported to four hospitals
The injured were taken from Wainwright to four hospitals in the province: the University of Alberta Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary and the Red Deer Regional Hospital.
The response involved 22 ground ambulances, six aircraft and two medical helicopters. Several hospitals were placed on a "code orange" alert due to the large number of critically injured patients being treated at the same time. The state of emergency was later lifted, and health officials said all victims were located and no one was waiting for transport.
Some of the injured suffered severe burns and could require intensive care for weeks or months, Smith said. The local hospital in Wainwright was not designed for an incident with so many victims, but medical teams were assisted by staff and resources from other parts of the province.
There is no indication of terrorist activity
The deceased were Sergeant Morgan Wong and Privates Sean Farrell, Aidan Goulding and Hayden Likermack. All were affiliated with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, and Wong also served in the Royal Edmonton Regiment.
The Canadian Forces said there was no indication at this time that the fire was the result of terrorist activity. The investigation is ongoing and includes examining terrain conditions, vegetation and how the fire spread.
Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as "one of the worst peacetime tragedies" for the Canadian Forces on the territory of the country. He ordered flags on federal buildings to be flown at half-staff and said: “We will care for the injured through every stage of their recovery and will be there for their families for as long as necessary.“
Sources: apnews.com, vancouver.citynews.ca, abc.net.au