Fifth Canadian soldier dies after Alberta base fire

Key facts

• Pte William Douglas Dal Bianco died on Friday, becoming the fifth soldier to die from the fire, the Canadian Armed Forces said.
• Thirty-eight military personnel were injured in the fire, the Canadian Armed Forces said.
• The Canadian Armed Forces said 24 personnel remained in hospital and 14 had been released as of Saturday.
• An investigation found the fire was likely sparked by a grenade launcher fired on the base's grenade range, officials said.

Pte William Douglas Dal Bianco died on Friday from injuries suffered when a grass fire swept through a military training area at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta last month, the Canadian Armed Forces said in a statement. He is the fifth Canadian soldier to die from the incident.

The fire broke out while members of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group were conducting live-fire training at the base. Military officials said at the time that the fire spread across a kilometre in a matter of seconds. An investigation found the fire was likely sparked by a grenade launcher being fired on the base's grenade range, officials said. Firefighters on the base knew about the fire but could not tackle it because it was in a danger area that could contain unspent explosives.

Thirty-eight military personnel were injured in total. The Canadian Armed Forces said 24 were still in hospital receiving treatment and 14 had been released as of Saturday.

Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X: "Canadians are holding Private Dal Bianco's loved ones, and all those still grieving in the wake of this terrible tragedy, in our hearts." Carney described the fire as "one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime".

Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Jennie Carignan said the armed forces were "heartbroken" by the loss of Dal Bianco. Defence Minister David McGuinty offered his "deepest condolences" to Dal Bianco's family, friends and colleagues, saying: "No words can ease the pain of losing a loved one, and my thoughts remain with all those affected by this tragedy."