A major fire broke out at a Canadian military base in Alberta, resulting in the deaths of at least seven people and injuring dozens. The incident occurred during a live-fire training exercise and is currently being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
What happened
The fire started when a gas line or gas well was hit during the training exercise, according to unnamed military sources cited by Canadian TV network Global News. The flames spread rapidly, fueled by fierce winds, and engulfed the surrounding rural area beyond the Canadian Forces Base Wainwright.
The Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton declared a code orange, a disaster response protocol for responding to a high-casualty incident, and received a large number of patients. Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician, described the situation as a "disaster" and stated that the number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his condolences, saying his "thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected" by the incident. Defense Minister David McGuinty stated that the situation is "very, very active and delicate" and that authorities are working to determine the cause of the fire, with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police involved in the investigation.
