A fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta killed and injured people on Saturday, Canada's defence minister said, without giving figures.
The big picture: CFB Wainwright is one of Canada's busiest military training bases, home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, where soldiers run realistic battlefield exercises before combat operations.
- "I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory," McGuinty said at a Saturday night press conference, describing the situation as active and delicate. The RCMP has joined the investigation.
Zoom in: Wainwright's own healthcare facilities were completely overwhelmed, so patients were taken to hospitals across Edmonton, 180 km to the northwest.
- "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," said Dr Warren Thirsk, an emergency physician at Edmonton's Royal Alexandra hospital.
Between the lines: Wind made it worse. Large areas of Alberta were hit by gusts up to 100 kilometres an hour on Saturday, and the Municipal District of Wainwright said the fire crossed the base fence and spread rapidly. No evacuation order was in effect.
What's next: Prime minister Mark Carney called it a serious incident creating a major fire and said his thoughts are with everyone affected. Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe is sending assistance, and Alberta premier Danielle Smith described the fire as significant and tragic.
Why it matters: Wainwright is where much of the Canadian army prepares for deployment, so a mass-casualty event there reaches units far beyond Alberta. Officials have released neither a cause nor a casualty count.
