Flags flying at half mast in Manitoba after deadly fire at Alberta military base

Flags flying at half mast in Manitoba after deadly fire at Alberta military base

4 killed and dozens injured after 'violent fast-moving fire' at CFB Wainwright on Saturday, PM confirms

Flags were lowered to half mast at buildings across Manitoba on Sunday to honour military service members who were killed or seriously injured after a fatal fire at a Canadian Forces Base near Wainwright, Atla., on Saturday.

Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that four service members died and dozens more were seriously injured after a "violent fast-moving fire" swept through CFB Wainwright — located about 190 kilometres southeast of Edmonton — on Saturday afternoon.

Next of kin have been notified, he said during a Sunday news conference.

Sources had earlier told CBC News that seven people were killed.

The incident is "one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peace time," Carney said.

The prime minister asked for flags at all federal buildings across Canada be lowered to half mast to honour those killed or injured.

4 dead, at least 19 in critical condition after deadly fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta

At a media briefing in Edmonton on Sunday afternoon, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said 39 patients were receiving care in hospital, with at least 19 in critical condition. She said flags at provincial government buildings there were also lowered.

Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland said members of a company within the 3rd battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were conducting a training exercise around 4 p.m. on Saturday when a grass fire ignited within the training area.

"Uncommonly strong" winds caused the fire to spread and change direction quickly, he said during the briefing.

Service members were doing "high intensity combat training with live munitions" at the time of the incident, Rutland said.

The incident's circumstances are being investigated and the injured soldiers' families have been notified.

Rutland confirmed that many of the affected members of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were based out of CFB Edmonton. The infantry group also has service members at CFB Shilo, near Brandon, Man.

Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett says he has been in contact with the commander of CFB Shilo in the wake of the Wainwright tragedy. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)

Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said he has been in contact with the base commander at CFB Shilo. However, any information about whether service members from Shilo were affected will be released by the armed forces, he said.

"We do have people to train out there. We go back and forth with that base," he said, adding that Shilo is also a live action base similar to Wainwright.

Fawcett said Brandon is a "military city" that feels a deep connection to its base and the armed forces.

"The fact that it was on a base, we know that that could be our own base," he said.

He said flags were lowered at the local fire hall, police station and all municipal buildings in the western Manitoba city.

"We're a military city and when you have something like this happen, you want to let your community know it was a tragedy and we mourn those losses."

Flags at municipal buildings in Brandon were flying at half mast on Sunday. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)

Premier Wab Kinew called the deadly fire a "terrible tragedy" and said in a statement on Sunday that flags in Manitoba would be flying at half mast to honour the dead.

"My heart goes out to the families who have lost loved ones, those who were injured and everyone affected. We know there are families waiting for news about their loved ones, and our thoughts are with them too," Kinew said.

The premier said he has been in touch with both Premier Smith and National Defence Minister David McGuinty to offer help and condolences.

"Manitoba stands ready to help in any way we can. I also want to thank the first responders and everyone who stepped up to help during such a difficult time," Kinew said.

Manitoba Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville said she was "shocked and saddened" to learn of the deadly incident in Wainwright in a statement posted to social media on Sunday morning.

"Our thoughts are with the CAF members, their loved ones, and all the first responders in the difficult days ahead," the statement said.

Manitoba veteran 'still in shock'

Justin Woodcock, a veteran from Opaskwayak Cree Nation who served in the Canadian Armed Forces for eight years, said he trained at the Wainwright base and has friends that are still serving there.

He said the news about the deadly fire left him feeling stunned and in disbelief.

"It didn't seem real to me at first," Woodcock said. "I'm still in shock."

"To think that you can go out on a field [exercise] away from your family and potentially not come back. It's tragic."

He has been checking on his friends at CFB Wainwright, sending out calls and messages to make sure they're OK. Some of his friends responded to say they were heading to donation clinics to give blood to colleagues that need it right now.

"I think everyone is just in complete shock and wanting to help out in some way, whatever way that is," Woodcock said. "We all wear the same uniform. So it's our own people that are out there impacted and you just worry about the families and you just hope everyone's OK.

"When tragedies like this happen, it really impacts everyone."

Lauren Scott is a Winnipeg-based reporter with CBC Manitoba. They hold a master’s degree in computational and data journalism, and have previously worked for the Hamilton Spectator and The Canadian Press.