CFB Wainwright fire: 27 soldiers still hospitalized, 13 critical
Military officials gave an update Thursday on the Oct. 17 wildfire that killed four soldiers and injured dozens during a training exercise at the Alberta base.
Why it matters
The fire killed four soldiers, including one from Edmonton, and raises questions about training safety protocols at the Alberta military base.
Military officials said Thursday that four soldiers were killed and 27 remain hospitalized, including 13 in critical condition, after a fire swept over CFB Wainwright on Oct. 17. Twelve other injured soldiers have since been released. The dead were identified as Pte. Shaun Farrell, 23, of Prince Albert, Sask.; Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, of North Vancouver; Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, 19, of Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, of Edmonton.
Brig.-Gen. Vanessa Hanrahan said the fire began during what was described as a routine training exercise on the anti-grenade launcher range, though the exact cause remains unclear. Officials said there was no evidence of an explosion and no damage to gas infrastructure. Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland said the fire spread to the pairs range, where soldiers train in two-person teams providing covering fire, just before 4 p.m. local time.
Rutland said uncommonly high winds pushed a pre-existing range fire toward the soldiers' position, and the blaze crossed the base's fire guard before spreading beyond the training area. Hanrahan said firefighters could not suppress the fire because it was burning in a "permanent danger area" that may contain unexploded munitions, so it was instead being monitored.
Officials would not say why training continued after the fire started, saying that question is part of an ongoing military police investigation. A separate military-led board of inquiry will examine the broader circumstances and recommend preventive measures. Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan said such inquiries aim to identify systemic issues, and Rutland said the full investigation will take longer than the one month initially estimated.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.