Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said that four service members were killed and dozens more seriously injured in a fire at a military base in Alberta, describing it as one of the worst peacetime tragedies for Canada's military on domestic soil.
Fierce winds whipped flames beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright on Saturday night and into the surrounding rural area.
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winds → say → area
The Canadian military said on Sunday there were no indications that the incident was the result of terrorism, but the cause remained under investigation.
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cause → say → investigation
Carney said the families of those killed had been notified and that the situation was still evolving.
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situation → say → those
Adding that the service members killed and injured were participating in military training when the fire broke out Saturday.
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fire → add → training
Flags would fly at half-staff on federal buildings across the country in honor of those affected by the tragedy, he said.
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he → fly → tragedy
Those killed included reservists and soldiers from Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, one of Canada's most storied military regiments.
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Those → kill → regiments
The personnel had come from bases across the country to train at Wainwright.
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personnel → come → Wainwright
CFB Wainwright is one of Canada's busiest military training bases, where soldiers prepare for combat operations.
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soldiers → prepare → operations
It is home to the Canadian Maneuver Training Center, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides military training.
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which → conduct → training
The fire also disrupted advance voting ahead of Monday's referendum on whether Alberta should begin a process that could lead to independence from Canada.
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that → disrupt → Canada
Elections Alberta said the advance polling location at Wainwright Communiplex closed early Saturday and ballots and election materials were transported securely.
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ballots → say → Communiplex
Cathy Keane, a mayoral candidate in Ontario, said her eldest son was among the military personnel critically injured.
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son → say → personnel
"As a mother, right now I need to be with my son and family," she wrote on Facebook, saying she was going to Alberta.
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she → need → Alberta
A doctor at a hospital in the city of Edmonton, 180 kilometers (112 miles) northwest, told Canada's national broadcaster that patients were taken to hospitals across the city as healthcare facilities around the base became "completely overwhelmed" by the number of people needing care.
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facilities → tell → care
"This number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton," Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, told CBC News.
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Thirsk → overwhelm → News
"It is more patients than any of us want to count right now.
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any → want → us
Hospitals declare emergency
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Hospitals → declare → emergency
Acute Care Alberta said several hospitals across the province had activated a "Code Orange," an emergency designation used when multiple severely injured patients require coordinated medical care.
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patients → say → care
The agency said emergency medical resources were stretched so thin that extremely few ambulances were available in the Edmonton area.
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ambulances → say → area
It urged people to avoid the University of Alberta Hospital emergency department if possible.
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It → urge → department
Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh said the town's small hospital was not designed to handle a mass-casualty incident but praised the response of local medical personnel.
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hospital → say → personnel
He said helicopters and planes had been transporting patients to other facilities for treatment.
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helicopters → say → treatment
At least 10 ambulances were parked in and around the Wainwright health center late Saturday as paramedics and soldiers rushed about.
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paramedics → park → center
One patient was seen being loaded into an ambulance.
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patient → see → ambulance
The town of Wainwright, near the base, has about 7,000 residents.
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town → have → residents
Military rules out terrorism as cause
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."
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Police → say → situation
He said authorities were still working to determine what happened and expected to provide further information.
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what → say → information
McGuinty said Sunday he was traveling to Edmonton to be briefed on the latest developments.
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he → say → developments
He said the military was working closely with Alberta's government and local authorities.
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military → say → government
The Canadian Armed Forces had said it would not release casualty figures until relatives were notified.
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relatives → say → figures
Carney said Sunday that the families of the four service members killed had been informed.
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families → say → members
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said officers were called shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday following reports of a fire in a training area at the base.
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officers → say → base
Firefighters faced a volatile situation.
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Firefighters → face → situation
Large areas of the province were hit during the day by a windstorm with gusts up to 100 kph (62 mph).
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areas → hit → kph
The wind toppled some trees and sent signs flying and garbage cans rolling down streets.
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cans → topple → streets
By 11 p.m., the Municipal District of Wainwright said on social media the fire was being held and that property and critical infrastructure were protected.
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property → say → media
McGuinty, speaking to reporters in Ottawa, confirmed the casualties but had no other details to share.
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McGuinty → speak → details
"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," McGuinty said.
"
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McGuinty → recall → memory
We will have more to say in the coming hours and days," he added.
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he → have → hours
He said Armed Forces members were at the scene and that RCMP were also involved.
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RCMP → say → scene
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
