People killed and injured after incident and major fire at Canadian military base in Alberta

People have been killed and injured in an incident that caused a major fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, Canada’s Defence Minister David McGuinty said on Saturday evening, Canadian time.

“I’m saddened to share that there have been both fatalities and injuries as a result of an incident on the base,” Mr McGuinty told a news conference in Ottawa, according to CBC News. He did not say how many people had died or been hurt, or what caused it. CBC reported that the RCMP, Canada’s national police, is investigating.

The base is about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. CBC said the fire started in a training area. The Municipal District of Wainwright said the fire had crossed the base fence.

Prime Minister Mark Carney called it a “serious incident creating a major fire” and said he was in close contact with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Ms Smith said the fire was “affecting many of our brave military personnel.”

Update, 3.55pm AEDT: A “code orange” disaster response has been declared in Edmonton to care for a high number of patients being taken there from Wainwright, Dr Warren Thirsk, an emergency physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, told CBC News. He said Wainwright’s health facilities were “completely overwhelmed” and called it “a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster.”

Alberta MP Dane Lloyd said he had heard of “significant casualties” after an explosion and fire. Officials had not confirmed an explosion or any casualty figures as of 3.55pm AEDT Sunday.