Fatalities and Injuries Reported in Wainwright Base Fire

A serious incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta caused a major fire, fatalities and injuries, Defence Minister David McGuinty said Saturday. He did not give a casualty count or identify what triggered the incident. The fire spread beyond the base into the surrounding district as emergency crews responded. The Municipal District of Wainwright said high winds pushed the blaze across the base perimeter. Firefighters from multiple jurisdictions were sent to the area, and local authorities urged people to avoid it and keep roads clear for emergency crews. The district later said the fire was being held. No evacuation order was in effect, according to its updates. Emergency Health Services personnel were at the scene providing care and transporting people affected, Acute Care Alberta said. Warren Thirsk, an emergency physician in Edmonton, said nearby healthcare facilities in Wainwright were overwhelmed by the number of patients. Patients were being taken to hospitals in Edmonton, he said, but no official patient total was released. One report, citing military sources, put the death toll at at least seven and said dozens were injured. Canadian authorities had not...