Officials from the ATF and the Illinois State Fire Marshal's office were called to investigate a two-alarm fire that destroyed a Sikh temple Tuesday night in Island Lake, northwest of Chicago.
Baba Daljit Singh could only watch as flames licked the Guru Nanak Sikh Mission, at 217 W. State Rd., at about 8:25 p.m.
"It's very sad news because our religious stuff is here," he said. "I am burning inside."
Fire crews had to tackle the fire from outside the building using handlines and aerial streams due to unsafe conditions caused by hidden fire in the walls and the floors above.
Wauconda Fire Chief David Dato told reporters at the scene that the Sikh temple was a "very, very old structure."
No one was believed to be in the building at the time of the fire and no one was injured, fire officials said.
While the fire is devastating to worshipers, it comes at a time when the property itself is a matter of dispute between the pastor and other Sikhs within the mission.
"Today there was supposed to be a court date," said worshiper Jaskaran Khaira. "The judge was supposed to seal the property and the guest house which is next to the property. That's where [the pastor's] residence is so he was supposed to be kicked out today."
The cause of the fire was not known as of Wednesday evening, but the pastor says he has been threatened in the past.
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"Who did this, I can't say because I was not present here," Singh said.
The Wauconda Fire Protection District was assisted by firefighters from Lake Zurich, Cary, Nunda, Fox Lake, Crystal Lake, Fox River Grove, McHenry, Round Lake, Wonder Lake, Grayslake, Lake Villa, Barrington Countryside, Long Grove, Countryside, Woodstock, Marengo and the MESS Canteen.
