A major fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in western Alberta has left multiple people dead and injured, according to Canadian government officials.
Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the incident on Saturday, describing it as a serious event that had triggered a major blaze at the military installation.
Defence Minister David McGuinty also confirmed that the incident had resulted in fatalities and injuries during a news conference. However, neither official disclosed the number of people affected or explained what caused the incident.
McGuinty said further information would be released in the coming hours and days.
Hospital Facilities Reportedly Overwhelmed by Patients
The scale of the emergency placed significant pressure on medical facilities in the area.
Warren Thirsk, a doctor at a hospital in Edmonton, approximately 200 kilometres northwest of the military base, told public broadcaster CBC that healthcare facilities in Wainwright had been completely overwhelmed by the number of patients requiring treatment.
“It is more patients than any of us want to count right now,” Thirsk said, describing the incident as a disaster of a scale that might occur only once every 15 to 25 years.
Strong Winds Contribute to Rapid Spread of Fire
The Municipal District of Wainwright reported on social media that strong winds had caused the fire to spread rapidly.
Later on Saturday, the municipality said the blaze was being held at that time, although firefighting crews would continue monitoring the affected area.
Authorities had not provided further details about the circumstances surrounding the fire or the events that led to the reported deaths and injuries.
Carney Pledges Cooperation With Alberta Authorities
Carney said the federal government was working closely with officials in Alberta and local authorities in response to the incident.
“Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected,” the prime minister said in a statement posted on X.
The government said further updates would follow as more information became available.
Military Base Fire Disrupts Alberta Referendum Voting
The incident also disrupted advance voting ahead of a referendum scheduled for Monday concerning a future vote on whether Alberta should seek independence from Canada.
Alberta’s office responsible for overseeing provincial elections confirmed that the advance voting station in Wainwright had been closed because of the fire.
Officials did not immediately provide further details about the impact of the closure on voting arrangements.
