From the Guardian · Guardian staff and agencies · · 1m 30s
Fire at Canadian military base kills and injures dozens
A major fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta has caused deaths and injuries, with patients overwhelming hospitals across Edmonton as strong winds spread the blaze.
In brief
A major fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta has caused deaths and injuries, with patients overwhelming hospitals across Edmonton as strong winds spread the blaze. A major fire at CFB Wainwright military base in Alberta killed and injured people on Saturday, with casualties overwhelming hospitals in Edmonton 180…
Deaths and injuries at military base
A serious incident at CFB Wainwright in Alberta caused a major fire with fatalities and injuries, Canada's defence minister David McGuinty said Saturday night.
“I'm saddened to share that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident on the base.”
Fire spreads beyond base perimeter
The fire crossed CFB Wainwright's fence Saturday and spread rapidly due to high winds gusting up to one hundred kilometres an hour across Alberta.
Hospitals overwhelmed by casualties
Patients were brought to hospitals across Edmonton, one hundred eighty kilometres northwest of Wainwright, as the base's healthcare facilities became completely overwhelmed.
“This number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton.”
Doctor describes scale of disaster
Dr Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at the Royal Alexandra hospital in Edmonton, called it a one in every fifteen to twenty five year disaster.
“It's a disaster. It's a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster.”
Defence minister calls situation active
Defence minister David McGuinty described the situation at CFB Wainwright as active and delicate, saying he could not recall an incident like this in recent memory.
“I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory.”
Wainwright is major training base
Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is one of Canada's busiest military training bases, home to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre and the third Canadian Division Training Centre.
Here's the gist
A major fire at CFB Wainwright military base in Alberta killed and injured people on Saturday, with casualties overwhelming hospitals in Edmonton 180 kilometres away.
