Kevin Lacquement 🇨🇦⚓

Information about the significant incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright continues to be limited. A quick summary of what is currently known for those checking in this morning: An incident occurred at CFB Wainwright, about two hours East of Edmonton, yesterday that has resulted in fatalities and injuries and led to a significant response by local and provincial emergency services, the CAF, and the Government of Canada. The incident involved a fire that started in the training area of CFB Wainwright around 4pm local time, and quickly spread due (in part) to high winds. The fire spread outside the base fence line to the South, and did not enter the town of Wainwright itself. Over night, officials confirmed that the fire was now "held". This information has been provided directly through DND's or the Municipal District of Wainwright's official channels and can be treated as likely reliable, although even official sources sometimes get specific information incorrect initially. Multiple media sources are reporting that the incident has overwhelmed local health care services and improvised sites (ie. The local school) are being used as part of providing medical care. Multiple hospitals in Edmonton have received or are expecting patients and have initiated mass casualty protocols that include asking local residents to seek care through other avenues where possible due to capacity limitations. These appear to be reliable indicators that the even has a high number of casualties. I can find evidence in Edmonton of similar protocols being activated for incidents involving ~20 significant injuries, but not at as many facilities. I would suggest that figure can, therefore, be treated as a likely floor for the number of serious injuries that are being transported to Edmonton in relation to this incident. That is my analysis and should not be treated as fact without further confirmation. Global News began reporting over night that at least seven individuals were killed, and dozens were injured in an explosion that initiated this incident. They are also reporting that the explosion was caused by live-fire training that hit a gas line or gas well which appear confirmed to exist on the base (though it's less clear what exists in the precise area of the incident). Global News attributes this information to multiple unnamed sources. Global News a major media outlet with institutional editorial standards, however, it's notable that other major news organization are not reporting this except by referencing Global News directly. It seems unlikely that Global News has been uniquely able to speak to unnamed sources, suggesting this information is on the fringe of meeting reporting standards. It should be taken seriously, but also treated cautiously until independently confirmed. Multiple air ambulance type aircraft have been tracked arriving in Wainwright since the incident, and various videos showing multiple conventional ambulances responding are also circulating. These appear to be genuine reports, however, the exact significance of the scale of of the response is somewhat open to interpretation. This should be treated as raw data that requires careful interpretation. A C-130 aircraft from Winnipeg, using identification information that matches an aircraft belonging to 435 Search and Rescue Squadron was tracked last night heading towards Wainwright. This should also be treated as raw data. On the ground reporting indicates that a number of CAF personnel parachuted into the area near the hospital. This would align, somewhat, with the C-130 flight, as the aircraft can deploy SAR Techs, who are high readiness personnel with significant medical expertise, this way. *In an earlier version of this post I suggested treating these reports as possible but suspect. However, there appears to be at least one still-photo image of a person in the air under a canopy from the incident. I would therefore amend that evaluation and call this reporting likely.* I have seen some discussion of the specific unit(s) involved in the incident. While I have high confidence that publicly available information provides this information, I'd discourage everyone from naming a unit until this is officially confirmed. Allow notification processes to take place, please. That's the morning update based on what I can confirm. I will attempt to monitor the situation throughout the day and provide updates, but I am doing this independently without support or compensation -- it's possible I may be slower than other sources in order to meet the level of confirmation I believe it appropriate before sharing information.