October 18, 2026
Fire at Canadian military base kills seven, CBC reports
Headline card by The Night Desk
Fire at Canadian military base kills seven, CBC reports
WAINWRIGHT, Alberta — At least seven people died in a major fire this weekend at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, CBC News reported on Sunday.
Canadian authorities confirmed there were deaths and injuries at the base but have not released official casualty figures. CBC, Canada's government-funded national broadcaster, cited unnamed sources for the death toll.
What happened
The fire broke out around 4 p.m. Saturday (2200 GMT) in a training area at the base, as winds gusted up to 60 miles per hour. The blaze was described as "terrible" by National Defense Minister David McGuinty, who said on Sunday he would travel to be briefed on the situation.
"I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory," the minister said Saturday.
Health staff in Edmonton said a "code orange" — a mass casualty event — was declared Saturday to coordinate the medical response for patients being transported from Wainwright.
Reactions
"Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post.
The municipality said the fire crossed the base fence into the nearby district, but no evacuation orders had been issued as of Sunday.
The base
CFB Wainwright, about 210 km (130 miles) east of Edmonton, is one of Canada's largest military bases. It had 1,310 military and civilian personnel stationed there as of 2021 census data and is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which runs training scenarios and exercises for the army. The town of Wainwright, population about 6,600, sits just north of the base.
This article is based on reporting by Reuters, citing CBC News. Details are developing.
Source: Reuters — read the original report
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