Fifth Canadian soldier dies after CFB Wainwright training fire

The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed on Saturday (November 14) that a fifth Canadian soldier has died from injuries sustained in the grass fire that swept through troops during training on October 17 at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, Alberta. Pte. William Douglas Dal Bianco died on November 13 in a hospital in Ontario, where he had been receiving care. He served with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI).

Four soldiers killed on October 17

At about 4 p.m. MDT on October 17, soldiers from the 3rd Battalion of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group were conducting live-fire training at CFB Wainwright as part of Exercise Apollo Shooter. About 84 soldiers were doing attack training on a grenade launcher range when a wind shift pushed a grass fire that had been burning on the range for hours toward the troops; the military said the fire moved one kilometre in under a minute. Four soldiers were killed that day: Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, of Edmonton; Pte. Shaun Farrell, 23, of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, of North Vancouver; and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, 19, of Langley, British Columbia.

Thirty-eight injured, 24 still in hospital

The military said 38 Canadian Armed Forces members were injured in the incident, in addition to the five who lost their lives. As of November 14, 24 injured soldiers remain in hospitals across the country and 14 have been released. The November 14 statement included no investigation findings and no new explanation of how the fire started.

Three investigations under way; Carney calls it one of the worst peacetime tragedies

Three investigations are looking into what happened, including a military police investigation and a Board of Inquiry, whose report could take nine to 12 months. Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan has committed to making the report public. Prime Minister Mark Carney has called the blaze one of the worst peacetime tragedies for Canada's military on Canadian soil.

Sources: Department of National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces; Associated Press; The Canadian Press.