Canadians step up to give blood after fatal fire at Alberta military base

Some Canadians are rolling up their sleeves to give blood as the military town of Wainwright, Alta., mourns the four soldiers killed in a weekend training exercise gone fatally wrong.

Defence officials have said 84 members of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were in a training area of CFB Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton, when disaster struck Saturday.

Strong and sudden winds sent flames from a nearby grass fire across the Prairie landscape at lightning speed, stopping soldiers in their tracks and sending 39 to hospital, 19 critically.

Among the dead are Sgt. Morgan Wong of Edmonton, Pte. Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert, Sask., Pte. Aidan Goulding of North Vancouver, and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark of Langley, B.C.

Defence Minister David McGuinty says people have been lining up to donate blood, bring meals to first responders, and open their homes to those grieving.

Canadian Blood Services says in a statement that people who want to help by donating blood are encouraged to do so in the coming days and weeks.

“We are closely monitoring the needs of patients and hospitals in Alberta and will continue to work with health system partners to ensure those needs are met,” the non-profit says in the post on its website.

CFB Wainwright is 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. It is one of Canada’s busiest bases and is used mainly to train soldiers and prepare units for combat operations.

Canada’s military has said that the grass fire was known well beforehand but, at roughly a kilometre away, was not considered a threat.

Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of 1st Canadian Division, told reporters Sunday that the 84 members of 3rd Battalion were doing two exercises at the time.

Most were throwing hand grenades on a range, while 10 soldiers were doing a simulated attack on an enemy.

What happened next is an anomaly, he said.

“I spoke to my commander on the ground. He said within 30 seconds to a minute they saw no fire, and then there was a fire right on top of them,” he told a news conference.

Medical personnel from neighbouring areas, including Saskatchewan, were called in. Some were seen parachuting into the base. Alberta health officials invoked a critical Code Orange — a call for hospitals to find staff and free up beds to handle a mass casualty incident — that has since been called off.

Rutland said there would be a full investigation, adding that there’s a lot to consider: Did the fire move that quickly because of the wind? Did it move unseen through foliage to surprise the soldiers? Was it both?

Premier Danielle Smith confirmed at the news conference that many of the injured have serious burns. Hospitals in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer are treating the wounded.

Flags on provincial and federal buildings have been lowered to half-mast to pay tribute to the deceased.

The tragedy comes as Albertans head to the polls Monday for a referendum that, among other things, asks whether Alberta should remain part of Canada or hold a second, binding vote on leaving.

McGuinty said those affected were soldiers and reservists from across the country.

“This loss reaches communities in every province,” he said.

Earlier Sunday in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney called it one of the “worst tragedies for the (Armed Forces) on Canadian soil in peacetime.”

Asked what she makes of the reaction by those across the country, Smith said Alberta has a long and proud history of supporting the Canadian Armed Forces.

Shortly after Alberta was brought under Confederation in 1905, thousands of residents enlisted in the military to fight in the First World War, Smith said.

“We were very honoured to have been able to assist at a terrible time for the Armed Forces. And we’re very honoured as well now to be giving all of those soldiers who are injured the very best care,” she said.

“And I think we’re all very, very hopeful for a full recovery of everyone.”