‘Heartbreaking’: Wainwright mourns after fire during military training claims lives

WAINWRIGHT — Residents of the town of Wainwright, Alta., are grieving after a deadly fire swept up by fierce winds overtook soldiers during a training exercise at the local military base Saturday, killing four and wounding dozens.

Sharon Pashko, 79, was among those who came out to the cenotaph on Monday to share her sorrow and offer words of support.

“It’s heartbreaking. My heart goes out to the families. There’s no words,” she said.

Pashko said she grew up in the military town and her uncle served at its commanding officer.

“The base has always been part of my home life and we always felt protected,” she said.

Pashko said she can see the local hospital from her home and it was “heartbreaking to see the ambulances going in.”

“Our community will go above and beyond,” she said. “I know we’ll do all that we can do to stand behind.”

A growing pile of brightly coloured flowers covers the base of the local cenotaph.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre laid a wreath there Monday. He said he has met with local groups “providing help to the wounded, families and everyone else out there that’s affected.”

Poilievre, whose federal riding of Battle River—Crowfoot includes the military base, said he was shocked by what happened.

“Fire is probably the most horrific way to die and when I learned that fire had struck one of our bases and potentially taken human life, I thought, ‘My God, it’s terrible.’ I said a prayer for them. I thought of their parents,” he said.

Defence Minister David McGuinty was also in town Monday to visit injured soldiers at the Wainwright hospital.

The minister’s office declined an interview request, saying it wanted to keep the focus on the injured military members and families who have lost loved ones.

McGuinty’s office issued a short statement on his behalf late Monday saying he visited leadership and Armed Forces members at CFB Wainwright on Monday. He was joined by Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski.

“In the face of profound loss, they have shown extraordinary strength, compassion and care for one another,” McGuinty said in his statement. “We will continue to stand with them and their families, and ensure they have the support they need.”

In Ottawa, the House of Commons held a moment of silence to honour the victims on Monday.

Poilievre told the House of Commons by video link that he personally met one of the deceased — Pte. Aidan Goulding, who was 23. The Conservative leader described him as “strong, handsome, polite” and a “real gentleman.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney told the House all MPs stand “united in grief” over a tragedy that touches every corner of the country.

Carney also told the House that 50 investigators are on the ground at the Wainwright base trying to determine what caused the deadly fire.

The prime minister said the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service is leading a full investigation into the tragedy, with support from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He also told reporters he has absolute confidence in the military’s investigators.

“We will give them all the resources that they need,” Carney said. “There’s a few processes that we’ll go through here and we will get the answers to what caused this terrible tragedy as expeditiously and transparently as necessary.”

Defence officials said 84 members of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were in a training area at Wainwright, 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, when the disaster struck on Saturday.

Strong winds sent flames from a nearby grass fire racing across the Prairie landscape, stopping soldiers in their tracks and sending 39 of them to hospital — 19 in critical condition.

National Defence identified the deceased as Sgt. Morgan Wong of Edmonton, Pte. Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert, Sask., Pte. Goulding of North Vancouver and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark of Langley, B.C.

Their deaths left a trail of grief across the country.

In Langley, B.C., Trevor Plater, Lykkemark’s former rugby coach in his senior year at Langley Secondary School, said the whole team and his schoolmates thought of Lykkemark as their best friend.

“He’s always looking out for everybody. He wasn’t necessarily somebody who talked a lot but he had a big impact when he did and he was always listening and paying attention,” Plater said.

Lykkemark, who was 19 when he died, was “a wonderful kid” who led by example and made everybody feel connected to the team, Plater added.

He was particularly close to former teammate Kane Lewis, who set up an online fundraiser for his friend’s family. Lewis said in a statement on the donation page — which has raised more than $20,000 — that he and Lykkemark joined the army at the same time and were in the same platoon for basic training.

“That’s where he became more than just a friend; he became a brother. He was always looking out for everyone and always kept himself in check,” Lewis said.

In Farrell’s hometown of Prince Albert, Sask., the city government lowered its flags to half-mast and set out a book of condolences at city hall.

“Our community is grieving alongside those who knew and loved Shaun,” the City of Prince Albert posted on social media.

“We recognize the profound sorrow this tragedy has brought to his family, friends and all those affected.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.

— With files from Jack Farrell, Fakiha Baig and Aaron Sousa in Edmonton, from Nono Shen in Vancouver and Kyle Duggan in Ottawa