Several people have been killed and injured following a serious incident that sparked a major fire at a Canadian military base in Alberta, Defence Minister David McGuinty confirmed on Saturday (17 October). The cause of the incident and the number of casualties have not been officially released.
The incident occurred at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Wainwright, one of Canada's busiest military bases, located about 210 kilometres east of Edmonton.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, McGuinty confirmed that the incident had resulted in both fatalities and injuries but did not provide further details.
“I'm saddened to share that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident,” he said, describing the situation as tragic.
A major fire was still burning on Saturday evening, with McGuinty adding that he could not recall a similar incident in recent memory.
Ambulances were seen outside the Wainwright Health Centre on Saturday night following reports of casualties at the military base.
Medical personnel were observed loading equipment into at least one ambulance as emergency services responded to the incident.
Authorities have not confirmed how many people were taken to hospital or the severity of their injuries.
Local authorities said the fire had crossed the perimeter fence of CFB Wainwright and spread into a neighbouring district.
However, the municipality of Wainwright confirmed that no evacuation orders had been issued.
According to 2021 census data, the base had 1,310 military and civilian personnel stationed there. The nearby town of Wainwright has a population of approximately 6,600.
The Canadian military and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are investigating the incident, although its cause has not yet been established.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said the federal government was working closely with Alberta's provincial government and local authorities.
General Jennie Carignan, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, said the armed forces were fully engaged in coordinating the response with federal, provincial and local officials.
“Our priority remains the welfare of our members, their families and their community,” she said.
Officials have not released further information about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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