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.
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For further information, contact the National Archives
public affairs staff at 301-713-6000.
