U.S. offers help for burned CFB Wainwright soldiers

The U.S. government has formally offered the federal government assistance and resources to help soldiers injured in the deadly fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta, U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra said Friday.

In a social media post almost a week after the tragedy, Hoekstra said the offer is meant to support the recovery of soldiers affected by traumatic burns “should it be deemed necessary.”

Four soldiers were killed and 39 were injured on Oct. 17 when a fire that began during a training exercise on an anti-grenade launching range was picked up by fierce winds. The military has said the fire took less than a minute to race about a kilometre to where a different training exercise was taking place on the base, about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.

Twenty-seven soldiers remain in hospital, including 13 in critical condition, many of them with severe burns.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, the MP for Battle River-Crowfoot, the riding where the base is located, thanked Hoekstra for reaching out to him. “We deeply appreciate this gesture of support for our injured soldiers and their families at such a difficult time,” Poilievre wrote in a social media post Friday.

Poilievre said his office has informed the defence minister and the Alberta government of the offer so they can determine whether the additional resources and expertise are needed. “The safety, security and recovery of the heroes injured at CFB Wainwright are our top priority,” he said. “Our prayers remain with our heroes and their families.”

The military has said three separate investigations are under way and could not say when more answers will be available about how the fire started. Canada’s chief of the defence staff earlier said the speed of the fire’s spread was the main factor in the deaths and injuries, as we reported Friday.

Earlier coverage details how the blaze began on the grenade range, how Wainwright held a vigil and the names of the four soldiers killed. Hoekstra has also been in the news for warning Canada to stay out of U.S. midterms.

The Canadian Press’ Kyle Duggan and Nick Murray contributed to CBC News reporting on which this story is based.

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Source: CBC News, “U.S. ambassador offers help for soldiers injured in CFB Wainwright fire.”