KABUL (Pajhwok): Several people have died and others have been injured after a major fire broke out at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Wainwright in Alberta, Canada, Al Jazeera reports.
Minister of National Defence David McGuinty confirmed the fire and the resulting deaths and injuries but did not provide an exact death toll or the cause of the blaze.
Expressing regret over the incident, McGuinty described the situation as “very, very active and delicate”. He added that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) was also involved in the investigation.
He said the Canadian Armed Forces were working with federal, provincial and local authorities to contain the fire and assist those affected.
Local officials in Wainwright said the fire spread beyond the military base’s perimeter on Saturday and quickly intensified because of strong winds.
According to the report, firefighting teams from several areas were dispatched to tackle the blaze. However, no evacuation order had been issued for nearby residents.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as serious and expressed his condolences to those affected and their families.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also described the fire as “large and tragic”, saying a significant number of military personnel had been affected.
CFB Wainwright is located about 180 kilometres south-east of Edmonton and is one of Canada’s major military training centres.
The exact cause of the fire and the number of casualties remain unknown, and investigations are continuing.
kk
