The son of a mayoral candidate in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, was gravely injured during a tragic fire at CFB Wainwright over the weekend, which tragically claimed the lives of four soldiers and left numerous others wounded.
Cathy Keane, the candidate’s mother, shared the news on social media, revealing that her eldest son was one of the 39 individuals injured in the devastating incident. She expressed the need to be by her son’s side and announced her temporary absence from campaign activities to be with him in Alberta.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Keane affirmed her dedication to running for Mayor of Oro-Medonte, emphasizing her unwavering support for the community. She urged residents to familiarize themselves with her campaign platform on her Facebook page, highlighting her ongoing commitment to the township as online voting progresses.
In a heartfelt plea for understanding during this trying time, she thanked the community for their kindness and solidarity, concluding with a poignant reminder to cherish loved ones.
The fire, suspected to have originated from military training exercises involving live ammunition, quickly escalated into a significant blaze near where soldiers were preparing for a future deployment. Despite prior awareness of the fire, unforeseen gusts of wind rapidly spread the flames, engulfing the training area.
Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland of the 1st Canadian Division confirmed that the blaze was not linked to any terrorist activity following an initial investigation by the Armed Forces.
