Deadly fire breaks out after ‘serious incident’ at Canada military base

A deadly fire broke out at a military base in Canada on Saturday after a “serious incident,” authorities said, with firefighters still working to prevent the blaze from crossing into residential areas.

The fire began near the base in Wainwright, a town in eastern Alberta province. It “spread rapidly due to high winds and has crossed into the Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61,” said the municipal district in a Facebook post Saturday evening.

Later that evening, Defense Minister David McGuinty said in a video statement “that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident on the base.”

The Canadian Armed Forces, the federal government, provincial and local authorities are cooperating “to mobilize all necessary support, and working through the details of what actually occurred,” he added.

He did not provide details about the number of casualties or what caused the initial blaze, but called it an “active and delicate situation.” The fire is still “underway on the ground,” and an investigation will be launched soon, he added.

In a separate update, the municipal district said the fire had “crossed the base fence” and was being “actively managed,” with firefighters deployed from multiple jurisdictions.

Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the fire had stemmed from “a serious incident.” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the disaster “significant and tragic,” saying it was “affecting many of our brave military personnel.”

No evacuation order has been issued yet. Authorities have asked residents to avoid the incident area, keep roads clear, and avoid visiting the Wainwright Health Center except for critical medical needs.

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre also wrote in a post that he had spoken to McGuinty and Carney about the fire, thanked emergency responders, and added: “Pray for Wainwright, everyone.”