Wainwright Fire Inquiry 'Will Take As Long As It Takes,' Army Says, as Key Questions Go Unanswered

Five days after four soldiers died in a fire during training at CFB Wainwright, Canada's top military leaders gave their most detailed account yet, but several basic questions remain unanswered.

Private Aidan Goulding, Private Shaun Farrell, Private Hayden Lykkemark and Sergeant Morgan Wong died on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 17. Thirty-nine soldiers were injured. Twelve have since left hospital, and 27 remain in hospital, 13 of them in critical condition, according to Acute Care Alberta.

On Thursday, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan, Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, Commander of the 1st Canadian Division, and Brig.-Gen. Vanessa Hanrahan, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, briefed reporters at the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre in Edmonton. We attended and asked questions.

Rutland said soldiers from C Company, 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, along with attached reservists and medical staff, were training on a pairs range when, just before 4 p.m., "uncommonly high winds" pushed a pre-existing range fire toward their position, and it overtook them.

He corrected two statements from Sunday. The soldiers were on a pairs range, not a section attack range. And the board of inquiry, which he had earlier said would take at least a month, "will take as long as it takes."

Hanrahan said the fire started on the automatic grenade launcher range during routine military training. Because of where it was, firefighters couldn't attack it directly, so it was monitored from the time it started until the incident. She said there is no indication of an explosion.

A reporter noted that CFB Wainwright's standing orders advise units firing during high-risk months, including October, to plan early-morning shoots, and asked why the training took place in the afternoon. Rutland confirmed the order, paragraph 342, but called it "a guideline," saying commanders on the ground weigh factors such as the weather, recent rain, the type of munitions and the number of trainees.

Some questions were left unanswered:

• When the fire started, and how long it burned before the wind shifted. Hanrahan said both are part of the ongoing investigation.

• Whether the base has a meteorologist or someone trained in wildfire behaviour analysis. Rutland declined to comment, saying it will come out in the investigation.

• How long the board of inquiry will take. No firm timeline was given. Rutland said it will likely take more than a month and "will take as long as it takes." Carignan said the findings will be briefed to the soldiers involved and to families first, then made public once the inquiry is complete.

We asked Carignan whether interim safety measures would be put in place before the final report. She said that if findings or interim findings show specific measures are needed, "of course we would implement immediately."

Rutland named Support Our Troops and Soldier On as two official Canadian Armed Forces charities supporting affected soldiers and families, and urged Canadians to be careful with online donations. Alberta health officials also asked people to donate blood if they can.

There are three investigations running in parallel: military police, the chief medical examiner and the board of inquiry. Hanrahan said military police involvement "should not be interpreted as an indication that an offence has taken place." Hanrahan said there was no natural gas involvement in the fire.

We will keep following this story and asking more questions for you. We extend our condolences to the families of the four soldiers.