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B.C. Victim of Wainwright Fire Was Everybody’s Best Friend, Says Rugby Coach

On Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, a fire at CFB Wainwright killed four Canadian Armed Forces members during a live-fire training exercise, including Private Hayden Lykkemark from Langley, B.C.
High winds caused a wildfire to spread rapidly across the base, overtaking the administrative area where members of the 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group were conducting training; officials were aware of the fire but did not consider it a threat.
The incident left 39 members injured, including 19 in critical condition, with eight aircraft and 22 ambulances transporting patients to five hospitals across Alberta over approximately 10 hours.
A GoFundMe for Lykkemark's family surpassed its original $10,000 goal in less than 24 hours, raising more than $20,000 by Monday morning as organizer Kane Lewis called him a "brother" who was "always looking out for everyone."
Trevor Plater, Lykkemark's former coach at Langley Secondary School, remembered him as someone "always looking out for everybody," while the other three soldiers killed were Sergeant Morgan Wong, Privates Shaun Farrell, and Aidan Goulding from the 3rd Battalion.

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The Toronto Star

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Lean Left

B.C. victim of Wainwright fire was everybody’s best friend, says rugby coach

The former rugby coach for Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, one of four soldiers who died in a fire at CFB Wainwright on Saturday, says all of the teenager's team and his

4 hours ago·Toronto, Canada

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Winnipeg Free Press

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Center

B.C. victim of Wainwright fire was everybody's best friend, says rugby coach

The former rugby coach for Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, one of four soldiers who died in a fire at CFB Wainwright on Saturday, says all of the teenager's team and his schoolmates thought of him as their best friend.

4 hours ago·Winnipeg, Canada

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