'That (fire) is suspicious to us, but I don't want to comment more than that until our fire investigator goes in and surveys the situation,' deputy fire chief Tim Armstrong was quoted as saying.

The school reportedly has more than 300 students. Apart from the Vancouver Education Board curriculum, the school also teaches Punjabi language and culture.

During summer vacations, students take classes in the Sikh religion, including kirtan.

The school has operated at the current venue not far from Vancouver's famous Punjabi Market since 1992.

The site was leased to the school by the Vancouver School Board.

Malik later set up two other Khalsa schools in the Punjabi-dominated Surrey city on the outskirts of Vancouver.