\u00a0<\/p>\n
MONTREAL, Oct 18 \u2014 A \u201cserious incident\u201d at a military base in western Canada killed and injured multiple people and sparked a huge blaze today\u00a0the government said.<\/p>\n
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on X that \u201ca serious incident creating a major fire\u201d had occurred at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in western Alberta province.<\/p>\n
There were \u201cboth fatalities and injuries\u201d as a result of the incident, the country\u2019s defence minister, David McGuinty, said at a news conference.<\/p>\n
Neither offered details on the number of casualties or the nature of the incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will have more to say in the coming hours and days,\u201d McGuinty added.<\/p>\n
A doctor at a hospital in the city of Edmonton, about 200 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of the base, told public broadcaster CBC that Wainwright\u2019s healthcare facilities were \u201ccompletely overwhelmed\u201d by the number of patients requiring care.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is more patients than any of us want to count right now,\u201d Warren Thirsk said. \u201cIt\u2019s a disaster. It\u2019s a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Municipal District of Wainwright posted on social media that the fire had \u201cspread rapidly due to high winds\u201d.<\/p>\n
It said later on Saturday that the blaze was \u201cbeing held at this time\u201d, though firefighting crews would continue to monitor the area.<\/p>\n
Carney said the government was working closely with Alberta officials and local authorities.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected,\u201d he said on X.<\/p>\n
The fire also disrupted advance voting ahead of Monday\u2019s referendum on a future poll on whether Alberta wants independence from Canada.<\/p>\n
Alberta\u2019s office responsible for overseeing provincial elections said the advance voting station in Wainwright had closed. \u2014 AFP<\/p>\n
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