Fire kills four at military base

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday that four service members were killed and dozens more seriously injured in a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Saturday.

Carney calls it worst peacetime tragedy

Carney described the fire as one of the worst peacetime tragedies for Canada's military on domestic soil.

Fierce winds spread flames beyond base

Fire crews scrambled late Saturday as fierce winds whipped flames beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright into the surrounding rural area. Large areas of Alberta were hit by a windstorm with gusts up to 100 kph.

Terrorism ruled out, cause under investigation

The Canadian military said Sunday there were no indications that the incident was the result of terrorism, but the cause remained under investigation.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called shortly after 4 p.m.

Hospitals overwhelmed across Edmonton

A doctor at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, one hundred eighty kilometres northwest of the base, told Canada's national broadcaster that patients were taken to hospitals across the city as healthcare facilities became completely overwhelmed.

Emergency declared across Alberta hospitals

Acute Care Alberta said several hospitals across the province had activated a Code Orange emergency designation used when multiple severely injured patients require coordinated medical care.

Doctor calls it a one in twenty year disaster

Dr.Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at Royal Alexandra Hospital, told CBC News the number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton.

“It is more patients than any of us want to count right now. It's a disaster.”

Wainwright base is major training centre

Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is one of Canada's busiest military training bases where soldiers prepare for combat operations. It is home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre and the third Canadian Division Training Centre.

Defense minister heads to Edmonton for briefing

Defense Minister David McGuinty said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were involved in investigating the incident and described the situation as very, very active and delicate.

“I cannot recall such an incident in my short time for sure as a minister, but I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory.”

Fire disrupts Alberta independence referendum voting

The fire disrupted advance voting ahead of Monday's referendum on whether Alberta should begin a process that could lead to independence from Canada.