Current Events
Fire Devastates Chicago Area Gurdwara:
Island Lake, Illinois
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Yet another gurdwara fire reminds us that we have to prioritize security arrangements around all our gurdwaras … everywhere.
There is no reason to think that we alone are being picked upon by criminals, hooligans and bigots. The world in general and all communities are being exposed to such tragedies, each from its respective detractors.
But that is no reason for us to be lax. Anything but total vigilance would amount to negligence on our part.
Members of Chicago’s suburban Sikh community remained in shock Wednesday, November 13, 2014 after a fire the previous evening caused extensive damage to a Lake County gurdwara.
Baba Daljit Singh, the granthi (caretaker), came to the scene.
“It's very sad news for us,” he said. “I feel I am burning inside ... I have no words.”
Firefighters were called to the Guru Nanak Sikh Mission Gurdwara at 217 W. State Road in Island Lake about 8:30 pm Tuesday (November 11), according to Wauconda Fire District officials. Firefighters arrived to see smoke “billowing from the building,” according to Wauconda fire Chief David Dato.
The flames continued to grow into a two-alarm fire, according to Wauconda fire officials.
Daljit Singh said no one was in the gurdwara at the time of the fire.
Despite the devastation, Sikh community member Thakar Singh said that on Wednesday morning, gurdwara members were able to salvage from the building’s remains their copy of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Thakar Singh said the faith community there includes about 60 families.
He said the mayor, City Council members and others stopped by the fire Tuesday night and expressed concern for the gurdwara and its members.
Two nearby churches have offered their buildings to the Sikh community to use for services, he said.
Authorities said Wednesday they are still investigating what started the blaze.
“We are trying to get inside to determine where the fire started and what caused it,” Wauconda fire Lt. Pat Kane said.
Dato said firefighters were able to battle the blaze from inside the building at first, but as flames spread, they had to take a defensive position, the chief said.
The investigation into the fire included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the state fire marshal though Kane cautioned that such a move had precedence with other fires in houses of worship.
“Don’t read anything into it just yet,” Kane said. “Church fires sometimes bring in the interest of other agencies.”
Harmeet Singh, 33, of Bolingbrook and a member of the Sikh Religious Society in Palatine, said he was shocked to hear about the fire on news reports.
“I hope that authorities will get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible,” he said. “It will definitely bring a sense of relief and lessen the anxiety in the community.”
Harmeet Singh added that he and others in the religious community would be looking for ways to help.
“Anything that’s needed -- from a personal level, I’ll do anything as a Sikh, as a member of the Sikh community,” he said.
[Courtesy: The Chicago Tribune. Edited for sikhchic.com]
November 13, 2014
Conversation about this article
1: Harinder Singh (Punjab), November 13, 2014, 10:05 AM.
This is covert bullying. Take it in your stride for this too shall pass. If the World Trade Center can be rebuilt after its destruction on 9/11 by similar madmen, so can be the House of God in Chicago.