Mention of the fire is on Ancestry.com JG -----Original Message----- From: Hazel W. Craig <hwctodd@aeneas.net> To: TNBENTON-L@rootsweb.com <TNBENTON-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Friday, March 03, 2000 4:26 PM Subject: [TNBENTON] National Archives Fire > >I jreceived this from another list on Rootsweb. Has anyone heard anything >regarding such a sad happening? > > > >>Resent-Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 14:10:35 -0800 (PST) >>From: Duroblan@aol.com >>Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 17:09:49 EST >>Subject: National Archives Fire >>Old-To: LAUNION-L@rootsweb.com >>X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 41 >>To: LAUNION-L@rootsweb.com >>Resent-From: LAUNION-L@rootsweb.com >>X-Mailing-List: <LAUNION-L@rootsweb.com> archive/latest/1129 >>X-Loop: LAUNION-L@rootsweb.com >>Resent-Sender: LAUNION-L-request@rootsweb.com >> >> >>I got this from another list on Rootsweb has anyone heard anything about >this. >> >>> 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 >> >> >