Khalsa School in Vancouver Destroyed by 'Suspicious' Fire

"This is a big loss to the whole community. We're all saddened by this," Avtar Singh Sandhu, a founder of the school, said.

Fire crews responded to the Khalsa School’s Vancouver campus, at 5987 Prince Albert Street, just after 9:30 a.m. to find the building completely engulfed in flames.

Traffic along 41st Avenue was affected as crews worked to put out the blaze.

While firefighters managed to put down the fire, not much is left of the heavily damaged building.

Khalsa School is a unique institution with a closed campus policy. We have a drug, alcohol and smoke free environment. Khalsa School is a place where students' lives are enlightened with moral and spiritual values. Khalsa School has established high standards within our academic and religious education programs. Students take part in a variety of sports tournaments, academically and religiously oriented competitions and scores of other extra-curricular activities. Children also learn the Sikh Way of Life.

Khalsa Schools are sponsored by Satnam Education Society of British Columbia whose purpose is to establish and operate Khalsa Schools according to the best of the Provincial Schools’ curriculum and to teach Punjabi, Sikh History, Sikh Religion, Gurbani, Kirtan, Sikh Culture and distribute Sikh Literature.