The Library Media — National & World · World Desk
Fifth Canadian Soldier Dies From Injuries Sustained in CFB Wainwright Training Fire
By Maya Wilson
A fifth Canadian service member has died from injuries sustained in a fire during a training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, Canada, last month, the Department of National Defence confirmed Saturday.
Private William Douglas Dal Bianco, a member of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI), died on Friday, November 13, in an Ontario hospital. He had been injured in the fire on October 17, 2026, according to a Defence Department news release issued the following day.
Dal Bianco is the fifth service member to die from the incident, which overtook a training area at the Alberta base during an exercise. Four soldiers died in the fire, while 39 others were injured, including several reservists, according to Global News and earlier reporting by CBC and The Canadian Press.
The Department of National Defence did not disclose Dal Bianco’s age or hometown in the reports. No family reaction was included, and the latest release provided no update on any investigation into the fire.
Military pays tribute
Gen. Jennie Carignan, Canada’s chief of the defence staff, paid tribute to Dal Bianco in the department’s statement, while National Defence Minister David McGuinty and other military officials also offered condolences.
Carignan said: “We will honour his dedicated service and continue to stand with all those affected by this tragedy along the difficult road ahead.”
The statement acknowledged the continuing impact of the incident on those who were injured, their families and the wider military community. The death of Dal Bianco brings the number of service members who have died from the October fire to five.
Fifth death from October incident
The fire occurred on October 17 at CFB Wainwright, a Canadian military base in Alberta, during a training exercise. The flames overtook a training area at the base, according to earlier reporting.
Dal Bianco’s death more than three weeks later adds to the toll from the incident. The Department of National Defence confirmed his death in a news release on Saturday, November 14.
The military has now confirmed five deaths linked to the October 17 training fire. The condition and whereabouts of the other people injured in the incident were not described in the latest reports.
Maya Wilson
World Desk Lead, The Library Media
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