North Edmonton apartment fire kills two seniors married 60 years
Surinderjit and Major Singh Bhandal died when a vehicle struck a gas line at their building Monday night. Their grandson says they were active in the Sikh community.
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Two people were killed in a Monday night apartment fire in north Edmonton when a vehicle struck a residential-commercial building, triggering an explosion and gas line rupture.
Surinderjit Kaur Bhandal, 82, and Major Singh Bhandal, 85, were identified as the wife and husband who lost their lives. The vehicle hit the building on 132 Avenue and 82 Street around 9:15 p.m. Eleven firefighting crews responded, with a second alarm declared five minutes later.
Their grandson, Lali Toor, told media his grandparents had been married more than 60 years and were life partners who couldn't be seen apart. "The definition of love, if we could ever put a photo to it, it would be my grandparents. They were best friends," he said.
Toor said Surinderjit and Major came to Canada more than 30 years ago and lived at the apartment for 25 of those years. He described them as active members of the Sikh community. "My grandmother was a very intelligent woman, always loved to talk about politics," Toor said. "My grandfather was a farmer back home in India, and his personality is what I inherited. He used to make so many relationships in business, friendships. He was such a genuine person."
The fire was started after a vehicle drove into the building, striking a gas line. Six people inside the apartment complex and the 62-year-old driver were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Thirty-five people lived in the 16-suite complex, with several now receiving support from the Canadian Red Cross. Toor said he plans to give back to the community his grandparents called home for decades in their memory.
The facts
How long had Surinderjit and Major Singh Bhandal been married?
Surinderjit Kaur Bhandal, 82, and Major Singh Bhandal, 85, had been married more than 60 years.
What caused the Edmonton apartment fire on July 14, 2026?
A vehicle struck the residential-commercial building at 132 Avenue and 82 Street around 9:15 p.m., rupturing a gas line and triggering an explosion.
How many people lived in the apartment complex?
Thirty-five people lived in the 16-suite complex on 132 Avenue and 82 Street in north Edmonton.
How many people were hospitalized from the fire?
Seven people were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries: six residents from inside the apartment complex and the 62-year-old driver of the vehicle.
