Canada, fire at Wainwright military base: at least 7 dead, dozens injured

The reactions and investigations into the causes of the fire

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the fire as "significant and tragic," saying it involved many military personnel. The authorities are still trying to clarify the causes and dynamics of the accident. According to what several sources from the Canadian Armed Forces reported to Global news, the fire broke out around 4pm local time yesterday during live fire training activities: a pipeline or a gas well inside the base was hit, causing an explosion. The Canadian Defense Minister, David McGuinty, defined the current situation as a "very delicate and evolving situation", as reported by the broadcaster CTV. He also explained that the Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defense and other federal agencies are working with the authorities "to mobilize all necessary support and to reconstruct the details of what happened." Canadian Conservative Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre also said he had spoken to Prime Minister Carney and the Defense Minister to offer support to those affected. "Let's all pray for Wainwright," he wrote on social media, inviting residents to follow emergency instructions and leave the roads clear to facilitate rescue operations. Wainwright Army Base is one of Canada's busiest training centers, where soldiers prepare for combat operations. It is home to the Canadian Maneuver Training Centre, which organizes realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, dedicated to military training.

Hospitals mobilized for the emergency: "Overwhelmed by the number of injured"

"That's more patients than any of us would like to count right now. It's a disaster. It's a once-every-15-25-year disaster." This is how Warren Thirsk, an emergency room doctor at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, interviewed by CBC, described the gravity of the situation. The doctor explained that Code Orange has been activated in Edmonton, an emergency response protocol necessary to assist the large number of patients transported from Wainwright hospitals to hospitals in the city. Patients are being diverted to hospitals across the city and additional medical teams have been called in to deal with the influx of patients. According to Thirsk, Wainwright's health facilities have been "completely overwhelmed" by the number of people needing treatment. This number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton, which is why we are marshalling all our resources and mobilizing to respond as if it were our city,” he added.