A routine training exercise for Edmonton-based soldiers preparing to deploy overseas swiftly descended into chaos on a central Alberta military base — leaving four men dead, 19 others clinging to life and several more injured with severe burns.
“This was uncommon, rapid, and I certainly hadn’t seen anything like it,” Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, Commander of 1st Canadian Division, said during an update Sunday on the fatal fire at CFB Wainwright, located about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.
About 350 troops with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Infantry (3PPCLI) were participating in exercises at CFB Wainwright — one of Canada’s busiest military training bases, used mainly to train soldiers and prepare units for combat operations — when disaster struck.
“I spoke to my commander on the ground,” Rutland said.
“They saw no fire and then, there was a fire right on top of them.”
On Saturday, savage winds had been racing through the province, toppling trees, knocking out power, slamming signs, and sending garbage cans and other debris skittering down alleys and roads.
Environment Canada wind warnings advised gusts up to 100 km/h were expected in the afternoon.
Rutland said a nearby grass fire was known well beforehand but not considered a threat.
“We train in all types of conditions, because you don’t know where you’re going to operate,” he said.
The training exercises in Wainwright served two purposes, Rutland said.
“To become what’s called our ‘global response task force,’ ready to move within hours (to) any hotspot around the world — preparatory training. Also, they were preparing to go to Latvia in April and May to bolster our brigade.”
“So this was high-intensity combat training with live munitions.”
The flames were about a kilometre away and considered sufficiently under control that training exercises were allowed to take place nearby on Saturday afternoon.
Rutland said the affected unit was Charlie Company of the 3rd Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
He said when the fire hit, the 84-member company was doing two exercises. Most were throwing hand grenades on a range while 10 soldiers were doing a simulated attack on an enemy, when they found themselves suddenly caught in the path of the roaring fire.
A violent, sudden surge of wind sent the flames racing over the Prairie landscape at lightning speed, landing right on top of the soldiers, Rutland said.
“The fire was a kilometre away when the wind shifted. It is not normal for a fire to move a kilometre in 30-to-60 seconds.”
After overwhelming the soldiers, the blaze then jumped the base fence and threatened nearby rural areas and the town of Wainwright.
Four soldiers from CFB Edmonton killed
The four soldiers killed have been identified as: Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aidan Goulding and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark.
Wong was from Edmonton and a member of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. The other three were all members of 3PPCLI and while based at the Edmonton Garrison, hailed from either side of Alberta: Farrell called Prince Albert, Sask. home while Goulding hailed from North Vancouver and Lykkemark from Langley in B.C.’s Lower Mainland.
The fire sent 39 other troops to hospital, 19 of whom on Sunday afternoon were in critical condition.
“The loss of life and injuries are heartbreaking,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said when she announced the casualty count and confirmed many have serious burns.
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“For those patients and their families, this is far from over. We know that the road ahead, especially for those who are suffering from severe burn injuries, will be long — requiring weeks and months of intensive and specialized care.”
The wounded are being cared for in four hospitals: the University of Alberta and Royal Alexandra in Edmonton, Foothills in Calgary and the regional hospital in Red Deer.
Bruce Pugh, Wainwright’s mayor, said he regularly hears the booming sound of artillery and cannons being launched during training from the base, so he didn’t think much when his windows rattled Saturday afternoon.
“But what was different was that everything went silent after the rattle,” Pugh said in an interview at his home, about five kilometres from the base.
“After that, we have friends who are physicians, nurses, (who) were hearing through personal channels that everybody was being called to help with a mass casualty event.”
Moments later, he recounted, came the sound of sirens and helicopters.
Emergency resources from across Alberta and beyond sprang into action Saturday evening.
“When crisis hit, Alberta’s front-line heroes did not hesitate for a single second,” Smith said.
The premier said 30 emergency units, including 22 ground ambulances and eight medevac aircraft, were deployed directly into Wainwright.
The Saskatchewan government also sent a medevac plane to ferry the wounded from Wainwright to Edmonton.
Bright flares lit up the night sky over Wainwright as Royal Canadian Air Force search and rescue technicians leapt from military aircraft and parachuted into the community.
Rutland said the paratroopers were deployed as part of the overall response to get more capacity on the ground quickly.
“They’re stationed all across the country. They’re highly skilled, highly trained. They jump onto Arctic ice flows and they can certainly jump into Wainwright.”
Several hospitals declared a Code Orange, triggered when a mass casualty incident or external disaster has occurred and many injured patients are expected to arrive all at once.
“We are deeply grateful to the first responders, paramedics, physicians, nurses, and hospital teams across Alberta who have mobilized to provide care to those injured,” Smith said.
“Albertans should all be incredibly proud of their frontline health-care workers and our acute care system that has managed this mass casualty event.
“Under immense pressure and in the face of deep heartbreak, they delivered rapid life-saving care and made sure that at no time was our emergency health system overwhelmed.”
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CFB Wainwright tragedy: CAF knew of nearby grass fire, but didn’t consider it a threat -
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Former military commander weighs in on Wainwright tragedy
What sparked the fire is not yet known; Rutland said there were many things happening on the field that afternoon.
“There was a multitude of ordinances moving through the Wainwright training area yesterday: grenade launcher, grenades, small arms, ammunition.
“Quite frankly, it could have been any of that or none of it.”
An investigation is now underway and Rutland said there is a lot to consider: Did the fire move that quickly because of the wind? Or did it move unseen through foliage to surprise the soldiers? Or was it both?
“This is why we’re going to do a complete investigation as to the topography, field conditions, foliage, etc., because it all plays into what happened,” he said.
There are oil and gas operations and infrastructure on several of Alberta’s vast military bases. While multiple military sources on Saturday night told Global News the live-fire training exercise was believed to have hit a gas line or gas well on the base, causing an explosion, Rutland said he didn’t believe that was the case.
“When this happens, we send the team in to look at the oil and gas infrastructure, to make sure it’s not damaged. Initial impression is it’s not, but we will definitely check.”
Rutland spoke at a news conference with Smith and Defence Minister David McGuinty.
McGuinty said those affected were soldiers and reservists from across the country.
“This loss reaches communities in every province,” he said.
Where is CFB Wainwright and what surrounds it?
CFB Wainwright is considered one of the CAF’s busiest bases and is used to train Canada’s military and prepare units for combat operations.
It’s considered, according to retired Maj.-Gen. David Fraser, “as real as it can be” in preparing soldiers for combat operations.
The base is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, and approximately 12 lodger units.
Fraser told The Canadian Press training at the base involves more than just weapons training, with exercises covering everything in the CAF’s arsenal from firearms and aircraft to artillery and armoured vehicles.
Exercises are organized and methodical and Fraser says something went wrong at CFB Wainwright, adding those who undergo this training are well-versed in safety procedures. Safety staff also oversee every exercise.
The safety manual is “quite large,” Rutland confirmed.
“It’s the military, which is a government organization, so we have a protocol for everything,” he said.
According to the Government of Canada, more than 200 active gas wells and associated pipelines can be found in the CFB Wainwright area.
The area is also known for livestock grazing and recreational hunting, which has been allowed for more than four decades at the base.
The base is about 609 square-kilometres in size and located about 205 kilometres southeast of Edmonton and found within one kilometre of the town of Wainwright.
Is this the CAF’s most tragic training incident?
Earlier Sunday in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney called the Wainwright disaster one of the “worst tragedies for the (Armed Forces) on Canadian soil in peacetime.”
Prior to Saturday’s explosion and fire, the Canadian Armed Forces had seen other deadly domestic events.
The most recent occurred in July, when a three-person rope team was performing a rescue exercise at the time of the incident.
The three members fell into a crevasse in Jasper National Park, dropping about 20 metres. The three were responsive and stable and flown to hospital after being rescued.
One of the deadliest training exercises that happened on Canadian soil was in 1988 at CFB Chilliwack.
Students were practicing explosive cratering in the demolition phase of their military engineer officer training when a charge detonated prematurely during a session.
According to the Canadian Military Engineers Association, 29 students and seven instructors were in attendance. Six students were killed and several others were injured.
A coroner’s inquest and board of inquiry concluded the a hotspot developed inside the camouflet tube, triggered by friction and heat generated when the tamping rod was used with excessive force.
The hotspot likely ignited a blockage, causing a small detonation that then triggered the main charge. The incident was ruled as accidental.
There has also been a previous incident in the last decade at CFB Wainwright, when Sgt. Robert Dynerowicz died during a training exercise in 2017.
He was commanding a light-armoured vehicle when a collision occurred. Three others were injured.
With files from Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press and Ashleigh Stewart, Sean Previl and Jeff Semple, Global News
Ah wind…My rock. My predictable friend.
Obviously, they have now read their Climate Change Handbook and realize grass just burns faster now and fluid dynamics, while better understood today, present no obvious signs of predictability historically speaking.
I am waiting for the live address where everyone presenting information is either picking their nose or blowing spit bubbles.
For the love of healthy cells, stop pretending Gen Z, and the wanbabe journalists and propagandist, are intelligent enough to fool a primate.
Show the the data, or I will shove your qualitative words where the proverbial sun don’t shine…
rapid ‘uncommon’ shift in wind…aka someone farted
There is no way a grass fire flame front moving 50 feet per second will injure 40 people, half critically, as well as take the life of 4 more, unless the flame causes an explosion of significant magnitude. To suggest the grass fire was the cause of injuries suffered is a huge misrepresentation.
This had the writing on the wall that the exercise should have been cancelled. Too much bravado from a higher up that it would be “good for them to experience” and it has turned into a tragedy beyond measure. Those poor soldiers – my heart is breaking. There’s no excuse for this.
CAF started a fire via a mistake and then let it get out of control after they failed to extinguish it before the predicted wind storm came in (which was predicted over 24 hours before)
crickets on the gas line hit with live munitions…. But that’s our media and government. Lies and cover ups!
Carney want ls to bury this just like the Liberals tried to do regarding sexual assult in the CAF. They turned a blind eye.
It is a wilful cover up by Carney and his cronies then that is shameful. If you don’t learn from mistakes they are bound to make the same mistakes again. I have not confidence in the CAF if the can’t manage safety during routine training exercises. Perhaps US Army should give them advice as they are way more up to the task.
So, why no word from any fire dept on this fire. Surely there was someone actioning it? Lets hear from them!
Yeah, blame it on a freak wind. IT IS YOUR DAMNED JOB TO BE ALERT TO ALL THINGS IN A WAR OR EVENING TRAINING!
Afire no one knows how it started and a freak wind. Oh yeah also heard a gas well was hit, paratroopers were dropped, all kinds of bizarre things, even weird lights.
We are not being told the whole story. Brass is covering its butt huge, including Carney.
Once they predicted the windstorm, made sure to protect everything I own because I’m a lefty hypocrite!
@John Riley. Respectfully, we have to wait for the Board of Inquiry. The commander said winds were well within safe limits. We should not prejudge, nor prejudice, the outcome.
Carney will lie just like he did with the Goldie Howe bridge deal.
Ben. This fire ended up spreading outside the base. Injured non military citizens, killed livestock, and damaged private buildings. The CAF needs to answer to those as they started the original fire and allowed activities to continue under a violent predicted windstorm.
I saw the forecast on Friday and battened down my back yard.
@Jason Street @803am. Respectfully, this is a military (emphasis on military) training exercise, and they follow military safety protocols/rules. They don’t follow civilian rules. A Board of Inquiry will be held so we should not prejudge. Commenters are guessing what happened without knowing the details on the ground and blaming the military, Carney, or whomever. I’m giving the benefit of the doubt to those who made the decisions. My condolences to those affected.
@Ben. Quite wrong. It was forecasted on Friday and early Saturday morning. that a violent windstorm would hit central Alberta. This was predicted many hours before. I lost a few shingles on my house. It was
Known the storm was coming, CAF decided to go
ahead with the trading. Poor decisions leads to consequences.
I don’t need facts. My perpetual state of impotent anger and butthurt is more real to me than your facts. This is Carney’s fault somehow. Poilievre would’ve made the weather great again by now.
The grass fire was about a kilometre away and was considered under control. A sudden, violent shift in the wind caused it to spread rapidly. There was about 30 seconds to react. One can know a windstorm was forecast, but training is likely done in all conditions-this is military training. No one could have predicted a violent shift in the wind. My heart goes out to all those affected.
Don’t tell me they’re going to blame this on climate change 🙄.
What about the explosion? It was heard. No mention of it here. Odd. Fishy.
Thoughts and prayers are with the families but who was in charge here? Not looking for someone to blame but is nobody in charge?? Negligence?..
I see no one in leadership wants to take any responsibility.
This is tragic
Go for training and end up dead.
The excuses by leadership take away from the tragic events as they try to obscure the facts and lack of decision making that allowed this tragic event to unfold.
It wasnt a concern until it was… sounds like incompetence
Very tragic but also seemingly very avoidable
I see Elbows Up Canadians are busy making excuses for Clowney
It was known earlier that day or even Friday Alberta was going to have a windstorm Saturday afternoon. This seems like willful negligence to me.
@1237, sck a Libby dck you POS
I see MAGAS traitors are in full disinformation, like their cult orange leader. Disgusting bunch.
@ BEN well at least we can understand you now the cucumber makes sense
Live ammo around a gas line or gas well .and during 100km winds . Very strange . Somthiing is not right
My thoughts are with the large cucumber in my anus
Some of you are complete clowns! Consider some compassion for the survivors and families. If you cannot figure out what compassion is and feel it necessary to slip politics into your comments then you don’t deserve a funeral when you die.
@Ben. 6:28. Carney won’t allow a full investigation. It will be swept under the rug.
Carney to busy in EU bootlicking them then going to CFB Wainwright. Total disgrace.
and Why Is Carney not there,
Total cover up by Clowney and McGuinty. Both should resign in humiliation.
Condolences to the families of these soldiers that were training to protect our Country and freedoms!
For those commenters that are using this as way to work political points using your freedom of speech that these soldiers defend for you maybe look in a mirror and think if your comments are really worth stating after a tragedy like this.
Some of you say why were they training in those conditions? They train for all and any condition weather included as I am sure if it was a real war battlefield there would be a stop of shooting because of the weather or the risk of grass fires. These soldiers practice for real world conditions and unfortunately they paid the ultimate sacrifice!
Condolences again to all that this tragedy affected and you have my total respect for standing for our country with your service in the armed forces.
@ben 634 pm. Insufferable Ben, we should have answers in minutes not weeks. This is a government cover up by Carney and the CBC
Lots of damage was done outside the base, so Carney and McGuinty can’t allcontrol the information . It it all stayed on the base, we might not have even heard about it as Carney doesn’t like transparency.
I’m surprised by the quality of reporting by Global News on this story, including the incorrect number of fatalities still posted on the main page. Instead of rushing to publish information according to unnamed “military/multiple sources,” how about prioritizing accuracy over speed?
Subhuman World Order
@ben, whose arm is up your azz controlling you like toy puppet? Just asking
@ben, did Chuck Norris give you a roundhouse kick to the head? Just asking
Live by the sword die by the sword
Imagine that deaths and injuries just occurred and the arm chair quarterbacks are already passing judgement or accusing the government of a coverup. Reasonable people wait, this isn’t a one hour CSI show, nor is it a game where YOU pass judgement on what happened. My condolences to those affected.
@J 554pm. With respect, justice and accountability require patience, gathering of evidence, etc. Not knee jerk statements demanding accountability when the tragedy just occurred. My condolences to all those affected.
Carney doesn’t believe Canadians should get the facts on what happened. Just a vague, ambiguous report from the Communist Broadcasting Corporation.
Stow it Ben!
A tragedy has occurred on Canadian soil, worse our troops were killed and injured.
We would like clear answers, not some whitewash from our government and media.
My heart goes out to the victims and their families.
There should be public inquiry to get to the bottom of this. People of base were injured, some animals died, and of base buildings damaged.
Carney will blame Trump and PP on the tragedy.
* So sorry to hear this and. The loss of the of your Military service men and women.
Am I to believe a fire engulfed fields of grass, on base, because we taught our recruits to use live fire before the discipline required to stop grass fires from setting off munitions depots?
Climate change policies equal tax and zero change in government behaviour?
As is obviously unconditional, Rest in Peace.They are not gone unless we forget them and their sacrifice.
Carney will blame it on climate change Anything to turn away any blame from his Government or Minister.
Canada has called so far under the Liberals. Total groupthink and pure ineptitude.
Carney will pretend the tragedy could not be prevented and was unforeseen and nothing could have been done more about it. Total whitewash like during the Foreign Interference that the Liberals allowed.
Just FYI. I live in eastern Alberta and Saturday morning it was know that a wind storm would hit the area later in the afternoon. I guess CAF didn’t get the message plus it has been very dry the last month or so. I guess nobody at the CAF thought anything thru first.
@Ben 246 pm Shut up. You are proof that having unlimited access to information does not prevent being the dumbest person in the comments.
This is real yet preventable tragedy.
This is exactly what happens when you stop prioritizing merit and performance among leadership.
You get incompetence and improper risk aversion.
A real tragedy that was extremely likely totally preventable with some common sense risk evaluation
DEI might not have directly caused this but it sure didnt do anything to prevent “the worst tragedy in canadian forces peace time history”
Totally preventable and totally tragic
Am I to believe a fire engulfed unkempt fields of grass because we taught our recruits to use live fire before the discipline required to stop grass fires from setting of munitions depots?
My best wishes for everyone involved. That’s all that needs to be said everyone, not your petty political statements or conspiracy theories. Just be kind it costs you nothing.
Carney will try to sweep it under the rug just like everything else the Liberals do. The truth won’t be shared.
Live exercise by a gas line or gas well. Sounds like total incompetence by the CAF for sure.
ah yes, a fire started all by itself and spread so fast that it caused explosions…must be climate change
The information you have is wrong.
As journalists you should use trusted sources, not reddit rumors.