The Canadian Armed Forces has released the names of the four soldiers killed Saturday at CFB Wainwright in Alberta. They are Sgt. Morgan Wong, a Loyal Edmonton Regiment reservist from Edmonton; Pte. Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; Pte. Aidan Goulding of North Vancouver, B.C.; and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark of Langley, B.C. All four served with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and their families have been notified.
At a Sunday briefing in Edmonton, health officials gave the first full accounting of the injured: 39 other soldiers received medical care — 19 in critical condition, eight stable and 12 treated as ambulatory patients. Acute Care Alberta's Dr. Sayeh Zielke and Premier Danielle Smith told reporters some of the injured have severe burns that will require weeks or months of care. Patients were distributed to the University of Alberta Hospital and Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Red Deer Regional Hospital and Wainwright Health Centre; the Code Orange mass-casualty alert has since been lifted.
The scale of the response underlines how fast the incident escalated: 22 ground ambulances, six airplanes and two helicopters moved patients, with help from Saskatchewan. About 84 soldiers from Charlie Company were taking part in two activities — a grenade range and a simulated section attack — when a known grass fire burning about a kilometre away shifted with the wind and reached the troops in an estimated 30 to 60 seconds, crossing firebreaks and spreading beyond the base.
What ignited the fire has not been established. Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland said there is no belief that oil and gas infrastructure or outside interference was involved, the Alberta Energy Regulator reported no oil or gas incident reports, and officials see no indication of terrorism. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, military police and RCMP are investigating, a board of inquiry will follow, and battalion training has been suspended. Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a statement in Ottawa at noon Sunday and ordered federal flags flown at half-mast.
