Wainwright base explosion kills at least seven, sources say
Military sources say at least seven people died and dozens were injured. The defence minister confirmed there were deaths and injuries.
Canadian Defence Minister David McGinty confirmed on Saturday evening that an incident at the Wainwright military base in Alberta left people dead and injured. The exact number of casualties has not been officially released, but the Canadian outlet Global News, citing multiple military sources, reports that at least seven people were killed and dozens were hurt. The explosion and fire happened on Saturday, October 17, at about 4 p.m. local time.
“It is with sadness that I can confirm that people were killed and injured in an incident at the base.”
That is how McGinty opened his address, adding: “I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory.” He described the situation as “very, very active and delicate.” He singled out first responders for thanks, along with everyone helping “in a very difficult time.”
What is known about the cause of the explosion?
The cause has not been officially determined. Several sources in the Canadian Armed Forces told Global News that a live-fire exercise struck a gas pipeline or gas well on the base grounds, setting off the explosion. The military has not confirmed this. In a Sunday update it said the situation is still developing and that the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The military also said it would not release details about casualties until families have been notified:
“Our immediate priority is to help those affected and to notify next of kin. We will not confirm details about the dead and injured until that process is complete.”
McGinty added that the military, the ministry and the federal government will say more about the event in the coming days.
How the fire spread
Much of Alberta was under a wind warning on Saturday, with gusts reaching 100 kilometers per hour. The Municipality of Wainwright said the fire south of town crossed the base fence and reached the municipality, and around midnight it announced that the fire had been contained. A fire watch stayed in place overnight.
According to a Global News source, soldiers at the scene were loading the injured and going back into the field for more. More than a dozen soldiers were flown into Wainwright by parachute, to the health centre, late on Saturday. Dozens of ambulances gathered near the hospital in town.
Hospitals across Alberta declared a mass casualty alert (Code Orange). The nearest large trauma centres are in Edmonton, which Global News puts about 200 kilometers northwest of the base, while Al Jazeera says 180 kilometers. Acute Care Alberta asked the public to avoid the emergency department at the University of Alberta Hospital, and a STARS air ambulance helicopter landed at that hospital, which has a burn unit. Warren Tirsk, an emergency physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, told CBC that health facilities around the base are “completely overwhelmed.”
“This number of patients would overwhelm all of Edmonton,” Tirsk said. “There are more patients than any of us wants to count right now. This is a disaster. This is a disaster that happens once in 15 to 25 years.”
Reactions, and a referendum vote on Monday
Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media: “A serious incident has caused a major fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta. Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men who have been affected.” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the fire “significant and tragic” and said a large number of military personnel were affected. Chief of the Defence Staff Jenny Carignan said:
“Our priority remains the well-being of our members, their families and their community, and my thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident.”
Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre wrote: “Pray for Wainwright, everyone.” MP Dane Lloyd said he had heard of “significant losses.”
The fire also disrupted the voting process. The advance polling station in Wainwright, the Communiplex, closed early because the fire had entered the municipality, and voters from electoral district 86 were redirected to Lloydminster, about 105 kilometers northeast, and to Vermilion, about 65 kilometers north. The ballot boxes were moved to a safe location. Saturday was the last day of advance voting before Monday, October 19, when the people of Alberta, a province of about five million, vote on starting a legal process toward a binding referendum on secession from Canada.
Wainwright is one of the busiest training bases in Canada. It is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre. Military family members can call the Military Family Resource Centre information line at 1-800-866-4546, which is open around the clock.
