Fire destroys Adelaide gurdwara

By Asia Samachar  | Australia |

A major fire has destroyed Gurudwara Dashmesh Darbar at Virginia, north of Adelaide, leaving the Sikh community without a key place of worship and outreach centre.

The Country Fire Service was called to the gurdwara on Old Port Wakefield Road at about 9.40pm on Sunday. Around 60 firefighters and 20 appliances, supported by other emergency services, spent several hours bringing the blaze under control, according to local media reports.

The gurdwara operated from a converted industrial building and had served the local Sikh community for about two years. The fire is believed to have started near the kitchen before spreading through the structure, where refrigeration panels and gas cylinders complicated firefighting efforts.

One man who was inside the building was evacuated safely and no injuries were reported. Authorities estimated the damage at more than A$1 million, while the building was left structurally unsafe.

ABC News reported that parts of the roof collapsed, destroying equipment, groceries and sacred Sikh scriptures kept inside. Community members gathered outside the damaged gurdwara on Monday morning, offering prayers as surviving and damaged scriptures were recovered.

The temple had also played an important welfare role, providing free meals, groceries and support to newly arrived migrants and others in need.

7NEWS Australia reported that the gurdwara served hundreds of free meals daily and ran charitable programmes for the wider community.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, although early indications suggest it may have been accidental.

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