Canadian army links live-grenade exercise to deadly CFB Wainwright fire
Canadian military police say a live-grenade exercise on a range at CFB Wainwright in Alberta sparked a fire that killed four soldiers and injured 39.
The story in focus
Canada's military says a live-grenade exercise on a range at CFB Wainwright in Alberta sparked a fire on 17 October that killed four soldiers and injured 39, with 27 hospitalised. Brigadier-General Vanessa Hanrahan said a change in wind direction and speed intensified the blaze, which swept into a training area.
- The fire began on an automatic grenade launcher range during training at CFB Wainwright in Alberta on 17 October.
- Four soldiers died and 39 were injured; 27 remained hospitalised as of 22 October.
- Brigadier-General Vanessa Hanrahan said a shift in wind direction and velocity intensified the fire and drove it into a training area.
What the military said
The fire broke out on an automatic grenade launcher range at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta during what Brigadier-General Vanessa Hanrahan described as routine training on 17 October. Hanrahan, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, told reporters the next Thursday that the fire initially stayed within the range's Permanent Danger Area, where firefighters could not fight it directly and instead monitored it.
She said a later change in wind direction and velocity sharply increased the fire's intensity and speed, carrying it into a second training area. Hanrahan said there was no indication natural gas infrastructure was involved.
Casualties and units
About 84 soldiers from Charlie Company of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and army reservists were split between a grenade range and an area for practising attacks on simulated enemy positions. The fire reached the second area.
Four soldiers were killed and 39 injured, 27 of them still in hospital as of Thursday, while 12 had been treated and released. The dead were identified as Sergeant Morgan Wong of Edmonton, Private Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Private Aidan Goulding of North Vancouver, British Columbia, and Private Hayden Lykkemark of Langley, British Columbia.
Investigation and deployment
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service is leading the investigation with support from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Prime Minister Mark Carney said 50 investigators were assigned. Major-General Wade Rutland said officials would examine whether winds pushed the flames toward the soldiers or the fire spread unseen through vegetation, and whether safety procedures need to change.
The soldiers were training ahead of a planned spring deployment to Latvia, where Canada has its largest international military operation. CFB Wainwright is one of the Canadian Armed Forces' largest bases and regularly hosts exercises with NATO personnel.
Where did the fire that killed four Canadian soldiers start?
It started on an automatic grenade launcher range at CFB Wainwright in Alberta during training on 17 October, according to Brigadier-General Vanessa Hanrahan. She said shifting winds then drove the flames into a nearby training area.
Sources & further reading
- Grenade exercise sparked deadly fire at Canada military base, army says ↗Al Jazeera
- Blaze that killed 4 on Canadian military base sparked on grenade launcher range ↗CBS News
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