Grass fire at Canadian military base kills 4 soldiers and critically injures 19 other

WAINWRIGHT, Alberta, Oct 19, (AP): Four Canadian service members were killed and 39 people injured, including 19 critically, when a fast-moving fire overtook soldiers conducting live-fire combat training at a military base in Alberta, officials said Sunday. Maj. Gen. Wade Rutland said military officials knew about the fire for hours but believed it was sufficiently contained to allow training to continue before winds suddenly shifted, sending flames racing toward the soldiers.

"The fire was a kilometer away when the wind shifted. That is not normal for a fire to move a kilometer in 36 seconds,” he said at a news conference in Edmonton. Rutland said a commander at the scene told him soldiers went from seeing no fire to having flames upon them in less than a minute. The fire broke out Saturday during high-intensity combat training involving Charlie Company of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

About 84 soldiers were split between a grenade range and an area where they practiced attacks on simulated enemy positions. The fire swept into the second training area. Rutland said investigators had not determined what ignited the grass fire. He said the battalion was preparing for rapid deployment to global crises and a mission to reinforce Canadian troops in Latvia next spring.

The military identified those killed as Sgt. Morgan Wong of Edmonton; Pvt. Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; Pvt. Aidan Goulding of North Vancouver, British Columbia; and Pvt. Hayden Lykkemark of Langley, British Columbia. All four were serving with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said 39 people were receiving medical care. Sayeh Zielke, chief executive of Acute Care Alberta, said 19 were in critical condition, eight were stable and 12 were ambulatory and receiving treatment for less serious injuries. Smith said some suffered severe burns and could face weeks or months of intensive treatment. Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as one of the worst peacetime tragedies for Canada’s military on domestic soil. He ordered flags lowered to half-staff on federal buildings nationwide.