Sent: Friday, March 03, 2000 2:46 PM
Subject: Fw: [CLENDINEN] Re: National Archives Fire
I received this message on another of the lists that I am on. I thought
if true everyone would be interested in this bit of news.....
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0301-131.html
National Archives Statement on Records Center Fire
U.S. Newswire 1 Mar 15:39
National Archives and Records Administration Statement on Records Center
Fire
To: National Desk Contact: National Archives Public Affairs, 301-713-6000
WASHINGTON, March 1, /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is a statement from
John W. Carlin, archivist of the United States, on the Feb. 29 Records
Center Fire:
Yesterday (Tuesday, Feb. 29), the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) reported a fire in its Washington National Records
Center in Suitland, Md. The fire was contained by the Center's fire-safety
system and extinguished with no reports of harm to staff or visitors, but
some records were damaged. The following is an update on that from Archivist
of the United States
John Carlin.
Although much work will be needed before we can be certain, we believe that
of the total of more than 3.7 million cubic feet of records at Suitland,
approximately 3,000 cubic feet were in the immediate area. Of those, fewer
than 300 cubic feet may have been destroyed. Most of the affected records
were wet or damp from
sprinkler water or in singed boxes. Our staff at Suitland stayed up through
last night making valiant efforts to protect records from water damage and
otherwise dealing with the fire's effects, working with personnel from the
General Services Administration, from which we lease the facility.
The cause of the fire is as yet undetermined. Because the property is
Federal, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms as well as
GSA fire investigators were notified. As the investigation continues, the
following is what we know about the fire so far. The sprinkler alarms were
activated at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, and alerted the GSA Control Center that
there was a problem. The first fire company arrived sometime between 2:45
and 2:50. A fireman on the scene was overcome with smoke at which point
firemen abandoned
Stack 15 to open the roof hatches to vent the smoke. This process
apparently took approximately one hour to accomplish before the firemen
returned to Stack 15 to begin to extinguish the fire. The sprinkler system
contained the fire during the period between 2:30 and 3:50 at which point
the firemen were able to enter the
stack. At 8:13 p.m. the firemen on the scene felt that the fire was
sufficiently extinguished to allow the investigation to begin in the stack.
Our tracking system enabled us to identify the records on the shelves
affected by the fire, and agencies whose records may have been affected have
been notified. But we won't be able to identify exactly which records have
been affected and how seriously until the investigation of the area is
completed and we can examine the materials more closely.
I will provide further information as it becomes available.
For further information, contact the National Archives public affairs staff
at 301-713-6000.
/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/ 03/01 15:39
Copyright 2000, U.S. Newswire