Gayle Cantrell wrote: > > > 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. > >> > >> -0- > >> /U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/ > >> 03/01 15:39 > >> > >> Copyright 2000, U.S. Newswire > > -- Mandy Williams Queen, http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/5932/ RHS Class of '86 info: http://www.onelist.com/group/RHSClassof86 Queen-L, Criner-L & Twiner-L mail listowner; http:www.rootsweb.com/