4 Canadian soldiers were killed in a fire at a military base

Canadian officials said yesterday, Sunday, that a fire that killed four Canadian soldiers and left 19 people in critical conditions began with a slow fire burning in grass in a training area at a military base in Alberta, where personnel were conducting training, and quickly expanded in scope.

Officials said that 39 people were receiving treatment in hospitals as a result of the fire at the Canadian military base, Wainwright, which Prime Minister Mark Carney described as one of the worst tragedies witnessed by the Canadian Armed Forces on the country's soil in peacetime.

Major General Wade Rutland told reporters during a press conference that winds reaching speeds of 96 kilometers per hour contributed to fueling the fire that broke out at approximately 4 p.m. (22:00 GMT) on Saturday, but the wind speed was less than 50 kilometers per hour before the fire broke out.

Rutland described the sudden strong winds and the resulting spread of the fire as an “unusual and rapid” event, in which the flames advanced a kilometer, within between 30 and 60 seconds.

“I certainly have never seen anything like this before,” said Rutland, commander of the 1st Canadian Division, which is based in Edmonton, about 210 kilometers west of the military site, according to Reuters.

Officials identified the dead as Sergeant Morgan Wong, Private Sean Farrell, Private Aidan Golding, and Private Hayden Lakemark.

He said: “The country is entering a state of mourning for the brave members of our armed forces who we lost,” adding that he issued his orders to fly flags at half-staff on federal buildings across the country. In honor of the victims.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that many of those infected will need “weeks and months” of specialized and intensive medical care.

Rutland said that when the fire broke out, 85 soldiers were conducting “high-intensity” combat training using live ammunition at the base located in the plains area. The soldiers were preparing to deploy to Latvia, where Canadian forces are currently carrying out their largest international military operations.

Rutland confirmed that the investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and refused to speculate on the causes of the grass fire. He added that officials do not believe that the extensive oil and gas infrastructure in the region has any connection to the incident, also ruling out “any external interference.”