OTTAWA, Oct 19 (Reuters) – Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday the cause of a fire that killed at least four military members and injured dozens of others in Alberta on Saturday is still not known.
In an address to Parliament, Carney said soldiers and reserve members were conducting live-fire exercises at an army base in Wainwright while a fire was burning in the training area.
“Driven by ferocious winds, the fire jumped nearly a kilometer in less than a minute to where soldiers were gathered,” Carney said. He added 50 investigators are currently on the ground, from the army and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to determine how the disaster happened.
“This loss touches every corner of the nation,” Carney said.
Officials said 39 people remain hospitalized, with 19 people in critical condition. The soldiers and reserve members were preparing to deploy to Latvia, where Canadian forces have their largest international military operation.
The incident comes as Albertans vote Monday in a referendum about whether residents want to pursue a legally binding vote on seceding from Canada.
(Reporting by Maria Cheng; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
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