The Canadian Armed Forces say they are seeing no indications a deadly fire at CFB Wainwright was the result of terrorist activity.
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The Canadian Armed Forces say there are no indications a fire that erupted at an Alberta military base and left people dead and injured was the result of terrorist activity.
The fire broke out Saturday at CFB Wainwright, about 200 km southeast of Edmonton, and spread beyond the base’s training area. Defence Minister David McGuinty said late Saturday that he could not “recall an incident like this in recent memory,” as the full extent of the fire was still being determined.
The Forces said they were not confirming details or casualty numbers until families have been notified. In a statement shared Sunday, a spokesperson said: “While the incident remains under investigation, at this time, there are no indications that it was the result of any terrorist activity.” They added: “We will provide additional information as it becomes available.”
McGuinty said he was on his way to Edmonton to be briefed on the latest developments, and Prime Minister Mark Carney was expected to speak Sunday regarding the fatal fire.
Fire crews worked to contain flames that spread beyond the base and to keep the fire from reaching the town of Wainwright, where at least 10 ambulances were seen parked in and around the local health centre late Saturday. Acute Care Alberta said significant medical resources were needed to respond and that a “code orange had been activated at several hospitals across the province.” It said the code is declared when health resources need to be co-ordinated for “an incident that results in multiple severe patients needing care at the same time.”
CFB Wainwright is one of Canada’s largest military training facilities and regularly hosts major exercises involving members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The fire also affected voting in Alberta’s provincial referendum scheduled for Monday. Elections Alberta said two advance polling locations—in Lloydminster and Vermilion—were closed early Saturday and that ballots were transported securely.
Meanwhile, Oro-Medonte mayoral candidate Cathy Keane posted on Facebook that her son was critically injured in the blaze. Keane wrote that her family received “the devastating news” that her eldest son was among the military personnel critically injured and that she would travel to Alberta and be unable to continue door-knocking for the remainder of the mayoral campaign.
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