Gurudwara Dashmesh Darbar, a Sikh temple in Virginia on Adelaide’s northern outskirts, has been destroyed in a massive overnight fire that caused explosions, engulfed the building in flames and led to its collapse.
More than 60 firefighters from the Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) and Country Fire Service (CFS) were called to the Gurudwara Dashmesh Darbar on Old Port Wakefield Road at Virginia shortly after 9.30pm on Sunday. Crews worked for several hours to bring the fire under control and prevented it from spreading to neighbouring properties.
Witnesses reported large flames and loud explosions as the fire tore through the building before parts of the structure collapsed.
The temple, established in 2024, serves Adelaide’s growing Sikh community and is known for its daily langar, the free community kitchen that provides meals to anyone regardless of background or faith. It also hosts regular religious services and community events.
Temple president Bakshish Singh described the loss as “heartbreaking”, saying the fire spread through the building within minutes despite emergency crews arriving quickly. He said volunteers who had been resting at the temple raised the alarm after noticing flames, but there was little time to save anything from inside.
The fate of the temple’s sacred Sikh scriptures, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, remained unclear on Monday morning. Temple officials said firefighters had been informed of their location and the community was praying they had survived the blaze.
The CFS issued a smoke warning covering parts of Virginia, including Old Port Wakefield Road, Sheedy Road, Port Wakefield Highway, Juniper Boulevard and Penfield Road, urging residents in the area to avoid smoke where possible.
Fire cause investigators and South Australia Police have begun examining the scene. Authorities have not indicated whether the fire is being treated as suspicious, and the cause has yet to be determined.
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