[Anchor]

Soldiers conducting outdoor live-fire training in Canada were suddenly engulfed by spreading flames, leaving 4 dead and 39 injured. Reports indicate that while they were aware of a nearby fire, strong winds caused the flames to sweep over them instantly, making the tragedy inescapable.

Reporter Kim Minpyo has the details.

[Reporter]

Flags are flying at half-staff at a military base in Alberta, Canada.

Fire engines are putting out remaining embers at a training area near the base.

On the afternoon of the 17th local time, a fire broke out here and swept over soldiers undergoing training, resulting in 4 deaths and 39 injuries.

Among the injured, 19 suffered severe burns and are in critical condition.

Twenty-two ambulances, six transport aircraft, and two helicopters were mobilized to transport the injured to four different hospitals.

[Brandon Simmons/Convalescent Home Patient (Witness): I saw a man running by with his pants stripped off. I also saw people getting out from the back of a military vehicle. It literally looked like a scene from a war movie.]

At the time, the area was hit by strong winds reaching 100 kilometers per hour, strong enough to knock down trees and blow away traffic signs.

Military officials were reportedly aware of the fire and continued training believing it would be sufficiently contained, but they were helpless against the unexpected, fast-moving winds.

[Wade Rutland/Commander, 1st Canadian Division (Major General): The field commander said that just 30 seconds to a minute before, no flames were visible, and then suddenly the fire engulfed them.]

At the time of the fire, 84 unit members were undergoing live-fire training to support Canadian forces stationed in Latvia next spring.

[Mark Carney/Prime Minister of Canada: This is one of the most devastating tragedies to occur on Canadian soil during peacetime in our military's history.]

Various weapons, including grenade launchers and hand grenades, were used in the training, but it has not yet been determined whether the fire was caused by these or another factor.

(Video by Jeong Yong-hwa)