Four Canadian Soldiers Killed in Massive Fire at Alberta Military Base
Four Canadian soldiers died and 27 were injured in a massive wildfire at the Wainwright base in Alberta, triggered by live grenades during routine training ahead of a Latvia deployment.
Four Canadian soldiers were killed and at least 27 injured in a massive fire that broke out over the weekend at the military base in Wainwright, northern Alberta. The Department of National Defence confirmed on Friday that the blaze, initially treated as a mysterious incident, was caused by the use of live grenades during routine training.
The disaster, described as one of the worst peacetime tragedies for the Canadian military, occurred last Saturday at the active base located about 210 kilometers east of Edmonton. Strong winds fanned the flames, which started in an open area and spread with terrifying speed across the facility, trapping dozens of soldiers.
In the initial days, the Canadian government withheld details, with Prime Minister Mark Carney posting a brief statement calling it a "serious incident." However, Brigadier-General Vanessa Hanrahan clarified that the chain of events began at an automatic grenade launcher range, confirming the fire ignited due to a routine military exercise.
Aside from the four fatalities, 27 soldiers remain hospitalized, some in critical condition. The affected force included regular and reserve troops completing final preparations for deployment to Latvia, Canada's largest international military mission.
