Montreal, October 23, 2026 (V7N) – A fire that broke out on a western Canada military base, killing four soldiers and injuring dozens more, started on a grenade launcher range, officials said Thursday.
"Based on the available information, we can confirm that on the 17th of October, 2026, a fire was reported on the automatic grenade launcher range, which initiated during routine military training activities," Brigadier-General Vanessa Hanrahan, commander of the Canadian Forces Military Police Group, told reporters.
Due to the blaze being in the "permanent danger area" of the range, firefighters were unable to directly combat it, Hanrahan said.
"A subsequent change in wind direction and velocity significantly increased the fire's intensity," she added, with the flames spreading to a training area at the Wainwright military base in Alberta.
Four soldiers died and 39 were injured, with 27 requiring hospitalization.
The Wainwright base is one of the largest operated by the Canadian Armed Forces and regularly hosts training exercises involving military personnel from NATO countries.
Officials did not identify the deceased soldiers or specify the nature of their injuries, and the military police investigation is ongoing. Hanrahan said further details would be released as the inquiry proceeds, while the base continues to assess damage to the training area.
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