General News

Town lowers flags to honour soldiers killed at CFB Wainwright

October 26, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The flags at Town of New Tecumseth facilities have been lowered to half-staff to honour members of the Canadian Armed Forces who died following a fire during a training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Sunday, Oct. 17.

The fire occurred during live munitions training on the base.

Four soldiers died, and 39 more were injured. Several of the injured have been listed as being in critical condition in hospital. The tragedy has an Ontario connection.

Cathy Keane, who is running for mayor in Oro-Medonte, said the family received the ‘devastating news’ that her eldest son is among the injured.

Soldiers were training on the base and throwing hand grenades on the range while others were in the area doing a ‘section attack’ where 10 soldiers attack a simulated enemy, when the fire occurred.

It is not known if the live exercise was the cause of the fire.

A military spokesman said leaders were aware of a grass fire that ignited around a kilometre away from the training area, but it was not considered a threat. Strong and sudden winds sent flames from the fire across the prairie landscape in seconds, going over fire guards and stopping soldiers in their tracks.

A commander on the ground reported that the fire was right on top of them in under a minute.

Emergency crews from both the Armed Forces and the Town of Wainwright were called in to bring the fire under control.

Hospitals declared a Code Orange to deal with the mass casualty incident and a rapid influx of patients.

The Town of New Tecumseth joins towns and cities across the country in lowering flags to honour the dead. 

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