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.
“I’m saddened to share that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident on the base,” The Associated Press quoted Defense Minister David McGuinty as saying.
McGuinty did not provide casualty figures or details about what caused the incident. 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. Saturday following reports of a fire in a training area at the base.
A doctor at a hospital in the city of Edmonton, 180 km (120 miles) northwest of Wainwright, told Canada's national broadcaster that patients were being brought to hospitals across the city as Wainwright’s health-care facilities became “completely overwhelmed” by the number of people needing care.
“This number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton,” Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, told CBC news. “It is more patients than any of us want to count right now. It’s a disaster. It’s a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster.”
Meanwhile, fire crews were battling flames raging between the base and the nearby town of Wainwright, which spread quickly in high winds.
Large areas of the province were hit during the day by a windstorm with gusts up to 100 kilometers an hour. The wind toppled some trees and sent signs flying and garbage cans rolling down streets.
The Canadian Armed Forces and federal, provincial and local authorities were coordinating the emergency response, he said. The nearby community of Wainwright was providing hospital and firefighting support.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his province was sending assistance to Alberta but did not specify what resources were being deployed.
“Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said earlier in a social media post.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the fire as “significant and tragic” and said it was affecting many military personnel.
Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is one of Canada’s busiest military training bases, where soldiers prepare for combat operations. It is home to the Canadian Maneuver Training Center, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides military training.
McGuinty said authorities were still working to determine what happened and expected to provide further information.
Carney said the federal government was working closely with Alberta officials and local authorities. He said he and Smith were in close contact, as were their ministers and officials.
Smith thanked first responders and those providing care and support to those affected.
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.
“Pray for Wainwright, everyone,” Poilievre said in a social media post. He urged people in the area to follow emergency instructions and keep roads clear for first responders.
Neither Carney nor Smith provided details about what caused the fire or whether anyone was injured.
The fire also disrupted advance voting ahead of Monday’s referendum on whether Alberta should begin a process that could lead to independence from Canada. Elections Alberta said two polling locations, in Lloydminster and Vermilion, closed early Saturday and the ballots were transported securely.
