A large fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta has left several people dead and injured, Defence Minister David McGuinty confirmed - though he declined to specify the cause or the exact number of casualties, calling the situation "very, very active and delicate." Nothing says "we have this under control" quite like refusing to say how bad it is while the military and local authorities scramble to manage a blaze.

Global News, citing unnamed military sources, reports that at least seven were killed and dozens more injured when a gas line or gas well was struck during a live-fire training exercise. Because what's a training exercise without an unplanned explosion? The base, one of Canada's busiest military training facilities, typically hosts about 690 military personnel and 300 civilian workers on any given day, per CBC.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said a "serious incident creating a major fire" had occurred, adding that his "thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected." The fire, which erupted on Saturday, "spread rapidly due to high winds" and tore through the base's fences, according to the Municipal District of Wainwright. McGuinty told reporters he "cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory" - a statement that is either reassuring or alarming, depending on your baseline for military mishaps.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called it a "significant and tragic fire" affecting "many of [the province's] brave military personnel." The district first posted about the incident at about 17:30 local time (23:30 GMT), though when exactly the fire broke out remains unclear. Local authorities have urged residents to avoid the area and give emergency vehicles the right of way - solid advice for anyone who enjoys not being part of the casualty count.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton has called a code orange, a disaster response protocol for high-casualty incidents, CBC reported. Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician there, told the broadcaster the influx of patients would otherwise "overwhelm" Edmonton's healthcare facilities. "It is more patients than any of us want to count right now. It's a disaster. It's a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster." Nothing like a once-in-a-generation catastrophe to really test the hospital's triage system.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said he had deployed resources to Alberta and was "ready to provide more if required," while British Columbia Premier David Eby said his government had offered "all possible assistance." Because when a gas line meets a live-fire exercise, apparently the only thing that spreads faster than the fire is cross-provincial solidarity.

Wainwright is the main base used by the Canadian military for live-fire training exercises, which - in light of recent events - may prompt some to wonder if the training is perhaps a little too realistic.