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Granthi suffers burns in Mississauga gurdwara fire

Ajit Jain in Toronto

Prithvipal Singh Sethi, 72, granthi of the Ramgarhia gurdwara in suburban Mississauga, west of Toronto, was severely burnt when the building caught fire on Tuesday morning.

The blaze started when seven people inside the building were preparing for the morning kirtan, Peel regional police say.

His injuries are not life threatening and he's recovering in the burns unit of a Hamilton, Ontario, hospital, where he was transferred.

Six others escaped unharmed by a rear door of the building.

The fire started in a part of the building that was constructed as an addition in 1998 without acquiring a building permit from the city. They were then fined Can $2,000 for two convictions under the building code.

Earlier in May 1998, the gurdwara management committee was fined $300 for failure to clear refuse and debris from the site, a city building department official said.

The fire spread rapidly from the back extension of the gurdwara, which is located in a small building -- previously a residence.

"It has been a struggle from the beginning when we first purchased this property in 1986, and our misery continues with this sad event," said Gurmail Singh Saggu, president of the gurdwara committee.

"The city said we could build a structure no more than 108 square feet without going through a long permit application process," he added.

The city has now offered to find another location for the gurdwara, Mississauga City Councillor Carmen Corbasson said.

However, according to Tom Mokrzycki, Mississauga building commissioner, the city had issued orders prohibiting occupancy of the building and to remedy unsafe conditions.

"The city has no record of a building permit or a record of any committee of adjustment decision. The group will have to apply for a re-zoning if it is contemplating reconstruction," he reportedly said.

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