By The Canadian Press

Early-morning fire causes significant damage at Vancouver Sikh temple

Aug 26, 2016 | 10:03 AM

VANCOUVER — Damage is extensive following a fire at a Sikh temple in south Vancouver.

Firefighters were called to the Ross Street temple at about 2 a.m.

Flames broke out in a room on the second floor of the recently renovated building, and smoke was billowing from the main doors.

Battalion Chief Les Achtymichuk says crews had trouble fighting the fire because the temple does not have a sprinkler system.

No one was hurt and firefighters say they were able to remove religious books and other relics before any were damaged.

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A cause of the fire has not been determined, and Achtymichuk says it’s too early to say if it’s suspicious.

“There’s a lot of damage in … a sort of upper room on the second floor. That’s where the main concentration of the fire was, so that’s where (investigators) are concentrating their investigation,” he says

The Khalsa Diwan Society, which operates the Ross Street temple, says the gurdwara was built in 1970 and is considered one of the largest in North America. (Global)

The Canadian Press