Nearly a month after a deadly fire tore through a military base in Alberta, the Canadian Armed Forces announced Saturday that the tragedy has claimed a fifth life.
The military said in a statement that Pte. William Douglas Dal Bianco died on Friday in Ontario, where he was receiving care after the Oct. 17 blaze at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has called the fire one of the worst tragedies for the Armed Forces on home soil during peacetime, said he is thinking about the Dal Bianco’s loved ones.
“Private Dal Bianco and his fellow soldiers were training to defend Canada,” Carney said in a social media post.
“With their bright futures still before them, they chose to safeguard ours. That is service.
“Canadians are holding Private Dal Bianco’s loved ones, and all those still grieving in the wake of this terrible tragedy, in our hearts.”
Defence Minister David McGuinty said he extends his deepest condolences to the Dal Bianco’s family and friends for their profound loss.
“No words can ease the pain of this loss, but their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he said in a statement.
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he was heartbroken
“He is the fifth soldier to have lost his life in this tragedy,” he said in a social media post. “He wore the uniform to serve Canada, and Canada will never forget him.”
About 84 soldiers with the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were taking part in attack training when wind pushed flames from a grass fire onto the troops.
Pte. Shaun Farrell, 23, of Prince Albert, Sask.; Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, of North Vancouver; Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, 19, of Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, of Edmonton also died in the blaze.
Dozens of others were injured, with some in critical condition.
The Canadian Armed Forces said Saturday that 24 soldiers remain in various hospitals.
Three investigations are looking into what happened.
Dal Bianco’s death comes days after he and the others were honoured during Remembrance Day ceremonies across the country.
Poilievre, after the ceremony in Wainwright, described the injuries some of the soldiers were dealing with as “horrendous.”
“These young people literally ran into balls of fire to save their brothers and sisters in arms,” he said.
“Third-degree burns on 80 to 90 per cent of their bodies. We reflect on the courage of the people on that day.”
Poilievre represents the riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, which includes the base.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2026
— By Fakiha Baig in Edmonton
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.