Fire at Wainwright base in Canada: deaths and injuries reported

Confirmation of deaths and injuries

Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty officially reported the tragic consequences of the incident that occurred at one of the country's busiest military bases. According to him, there are fatalities and injured persons during the fire at Canadian Armed Forces Base "Wainwright" (CFB Wainwright).

«З глибоким сумом повідомляю, що внаслідок інциденту» (With deep sorrow, I report that as a result of the incident) at Canadian Armed Forces Base «Вейнрайт» (Wainwright) (CFB Wainwright) є загиблі та постраждалі (there are fatalities and injured persons), — McGuinty told journalists in Ottawa.

Officials are not disclosing the exact number of victims or the cause of the incident. The minister described the situation as «трагічною» (tragic), but did not specify details.

Progress in dealing with the consequences

As of Saturday evening, a large-scale fire was still raging at the base. McGuinty noted that he does not recall a fire of similar scale in recent times. The investigation into the causes of the incident is being conducted by Canadian military personnel jointly with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on social media that the federal government «тісно співпрацює з урядом Альберти та місцевою владою» (is working closely with the Government of Alberta and local authorities).

Resonance and government reaction

General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada, emphasised the active interaction of the Armed Forces with federal, provincial and local authorities.

«Нашим пріоритетом залишається безпека та благополуччя наших військовослужбовців, їхніх родин і громад, у яких вони живуть» (Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our service members, their families and the communities in which they live), — she noted.

The municipality reported that the fire spread over the base fence to the adjacent territory, but no evacuation orders for the local population have been issued so far.

Details about the base and the settlement

Military Base "Wainwright" is located in the east-central part of Alberta province, approximately 210 km (130 miles) east of Edmonton. According to 2021 census data, 1,310 military personnel and civilian employees were stationed at the base. The town of Wainwright, with a population of about 6,600, is located directly north of the military facility.