Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that 39 people were hospitalised, including at least 19 in critical condition, after a deadly fire at a Canadian military base.
Fire crews scrambled late Saturday as fierce winds whipped flames beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright and into the surrounding rural area. Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier confirmed that four service members were killed in the fire, which broke out Saturday (October 17) during military training, describing it as one of the worst peacetime tragedies for Canada’s military on domestic soil.
PM Carney said the service members killed and injured were participating in military training when the fire broke out Saturday. Defence Minister David McGuinty said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were involved in investigating the incident and described the situation as “very, very active and delicate. He said authorities were still working to determine what happened and expected to provide further information.
The Canadian military said on Sunday there were no indications that the incident was the result of terrorism, but the cause remained under investigation.
