Canada: Casualties occurred as a fatal fire broke out after a “serious accident” at a military base

(CNN) - A large fire killed and injured people at one of the busiest military bases in Canada, on Saturday, due to a “serious” incident whose nature has not been determined.

Officials said the fire broke out at Wainwright Base, a town in eastern Alberta, and "spread quickly due to strong winds," municipal authorities said in a Facebook post on Saturday evening. The call for help came in around 4 p.m., according to Wainwright RCMP.

Canadian Defense Minister David McGinty said in a video statement, "There were deaths and injuries as a result of an accident that occurred inside the base."

The minister did not provide details about the number of victims or the initial cause of the fire, but he described the situation as an “active and sensitive case,” stressing that an investigation into the incident would be opened soon.

Late Saturday night, local authorities reported that the fire was "under control at the moment," with firefighting teams continuing to monitor the site.

CFB Wainwright, located about 210 kilometers (130 miles) southeast of Edmonton, the provincial capital, is one of the busiest military bases in the country, according to a government website. The base includes the Canadian Maneuver Training Center and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Center, and is also considered a training ground for Army Field Forces units stationed in Edmonton.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that the fire was caused by a "serious accident," without providing details.

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), CNN's news partner, a "code orange" was announced in Edmonton, which refers to the emergency response protocol and is activated when large numbers of infected people are received.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation quoted Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department doctor at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in the city, as saying that this event is “a disaster that only occurs once every 15 to 25 years.” He explained that health centers in Wainwright have become “completely overwhelmed,” and the injured are now being transferred to other hospitals throughout Edmonton.

CNN has reached out to the Royal Alexandra Hospital and other health centers in Edmonton, and the Alberta Health Authority for comment. CNN also reached out to the military base, the Wainwright Fire Department, the Alberta Premier's office, and municipal authorities.

McGinty said the Canadian Armed Forces, the federal government, and provincial and local authorities are cooperating "to mobilize all necessary support and work to determine the details of what actually happened."

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the disaster as "grave and tragic," noting that it "affects many of our brave members of the military."

No evacuation order was issued, and authorities asked residents to avoid the area of ​​the accident, keep roads clear, and refrain from visiting Wainwright Health Center except in cases of extreme medical necessity.

In a statement via video clip in response to a journalist’s question, McGinty said: “I cannot recall such an incident during my time as minister... nor can I recall a similar incident in recent memory.”

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre wrote in a post that he spoke with both McGinty and Carney about the fire, and expressed his thanks to the emergency teams, adding: “Everyone pray for Wainwright.”