No injuries reported in 2.30 a.m. blaze
Vancouver: A fire broke out early yesterday morning at the Ross Street gurdwara in south Vancouver. Fire crews responded to the three-alarm fire at around 2.30 a.m.
The temple is the biggest and oldest Sikh temple in North America, with about 11,000 members.
Sohan Singh Deo, president of the temple, said it was an unfortunate incident as the building was recently renovated.
“We spent millions of dollars on this building this year, so we are very concerned,” he said. “It’s very, very bad for us. It’s a great loss.”
According to firefighters, no one was inside the temple when the flames broke out.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and the extent of the damage is not yet known.
Fire investigators remained at the scene on Friday morning. The cause of the fire has not been determined. It is believed to have started in the open prayer area.
The temple’s mezzanine area suffered the most damage, and there was damage to the roof and the interior of the rear gallery from firefighting.
The gurdwara is expected to remain closed for the next little while due to the damage.
The gurdwara has been dogged by various controversies over the years, and remains a focal point for many issues related to the Sikh community in the Lower Mainland in general and Vancouver in particular. A number of disputes connected to the gurdwara have ended up in long-running court battles.
The gurdwara is once again making news as elections to its committee are coming up in September, and as is usually the case, are being keenly and fiercely contested by two main slates
