Fire at Canadian military base kills at least four, injures 19 critically

A large fire broke out at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Saturday, killing at least four people and leaving 19 others in critical condition. The blaze started at around 16:00 local time (22:00 GMT) at the remote training base, which sits behind fences on rural land.

Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as one of the most severe peace-time tragedies to affect the Canadian military.

Major-General Wade Rutland, commander of the 1st Canadian Division, explained that a grass fire had ignited on a training range before unusually strong winds caused it to spread quickly and change direction, moving towards soldiers who were taking part in exercises at the time. He said the exact cause of the original fire is still being investigated.

Earlier reports in local media suggested the fire might have started after a gas main was struck during a live-fire training exercise. However, the military later stated that investigators do not believe any explosions at the scene were linked to oil or gas infrastructure.