Four soldiers remembered after fire at CFB Wainwright

Tashi Farmilo

Four Canadian Armed Forces members were killed and 39 injured when a fire broke out during a live-fire training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on October 17, National Defence confirmed in a release. According to the department, soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, part of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, were taking part in Exercise Apollo Shooter at about 4 pm local time when the fire started, and high winds drove it quickly across the unit’s administrative area.

The department identified those killed as Sgt. Morgan Wong, a member of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment serving with the battalion, and privates Shaun Farrell, Aidan Goulding and Hayden Lykkemark, all members of the Edmonton-based 3rd Battalion. According to The Canadian Press, Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of 1st Canadian Division, told a news conference in Edmonton on October 18 that Wong was from Edmonton, Farrell from Prince Albert, Sask., and Goulding and Lykkemark from North Vancouver and Langley, B.C. Rutland also said 19 of the injured were in critical condition at the time.

Defence Minister David McGuinty, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan and Canadian Army commander Lt.-Gen. Michael Wright offered condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the soldiers who died, and Carignan thanked the first responders and medical teams involved.