Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the deaths on Sunday, describing the overnight firefighting effort as among the most difficult emergency responses in recent memory. Military personnel worked alongside civilian emergency crews through the night in an attempt to contain the flames, which spread rapidly across the base.
Details of what ignited the fire have not yet been disclosed, and officials have not released the identities of those killed pending notification of family members. The scale of injuries suggests the blaze caught a significant number of people on-site, raising questions about evacuation procedures and the base's readiness for a fire of this magnitude.
Canada's armed forces maintain a network of bases across the country that house both active military personnel and support staff, and incidents causing mass casualties at such facilities are rare. The government is expected to face pressure to explain how the fire started and why it proved so difficult to extinguish despite the deployment of both military and civilian resources.
Carney's office indicated that emergency response operations continued past daybreak, with crews working to fully extinguish remaining hot spots and assess structural damage. Authorities have not yet said whether the base will resume normal operations or when displaced personnel might be able to return.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is anticipated, though no timeline has been given. The incident is likely to prompt a broader review of fire safety protocols at military installations nationwide, particularly given the severity of casualties reported. Further updates on the death toll, injuries, and the cause of the blaze are expected in the coming days as officials complete their assessment of the site.