Four Dead After Fire In Canadian Army Base

Four Canadian soldiers have died after a fast-moving fire tore through a military training base in Alberta, leaving dozens of people injured.

The blaze broke out at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright at around 4pm local time on Saturday, spreading rapidly as strong winds pushed the flames towards soldiers taking part in military exercises.

A total of 39 people have been taken to hospital, with 19 reported to be in critical condition. Many of those injured are understood to have suffered severe burns.

The soldiers who died have been identified as Sergeant Morgan Wong, Private Shaun Farrell, Private Aidan Goulding and Private Hayden Lykkemark.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as one of the worst peacetime tragedies in the country's military history.

He also paid tribute to the military and civilian firefighters who battled the blaze throughout the night, saying they had risked their lives to protect others in extremely difficult conditions.

Major-General Wade Rutland, Commander of 1st Canadian Division, said the fire began as a grass fire on a training range.

He explained that uncommonly strong winds caused the flames to spread rapidly and change direction towards soldiers who were taking part in exercises at the base.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Local media initially reported that the blaze may have started after a gas main was struck during a live firing exercise. However, military officials later said investigators did not believe any explosions had been caused by oil or gas infrastructure.

The Canadian Department of National Defence has also confirmed that there are currently no indications the fire was the result of terrorist activity.

The emergency triggered a major response from medical services across Alberta.

Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton declared a code orange on Saturday evening, activating its emergency procedures for a mass-casualty incident. The alert was lifted on Sunday afternoon.

According to Alberta's health service, the emergency response lasted approximately 10 hours and involved 22 ambulances and eight aircraft.

One doctor told Canadian public broadcaster CBC that the hospital had been completely overwhelmed by the number of patients arriving for treatment.

Health officials have warned that caring for those injured in the fire is expected to be intensive, while authorities have not yet confirmed whether the death toll could increase.