[Genealib] Georgetown Library fire (xpost H-DC)

[Claire Kluskens]

A tragedy, indeed, which could have, should have, been avoided. Not  
have a fire suppression system due to fear of water? After the 1973  
NHPRC fire <http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/ 
fire-1973.html>, there should have been no doubt in any archivist's  
or librarian's mind that fire is worse than water.  Water soaked  
paper, books, etc., can be frozen and dried out at leisure.

Claire Kluskens

On Apr 30, 2007, at 3:55 PM, Mary K. Mannix wrote:

> I thought folks should know about this tragedy. Mary M.
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>
> Fire Races Through Georgetown Library
> Key Neighborhood Archives May Have Been Destroyed
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/30/ 
> AR2007043000671_pf.html
>
> By Michelle Boorstein
> Washington Post Staff Writer
> Monday, April 30, 2007; 3:12 PM
>
> Smoke from the Georgetown branch of the D.C. Public Library billowed
> through a neighborhood of stately mansions today, as the library's
> archivist said it appeared important documents on the neighborhood  
> were
> burning.
>
> As he watched the smoke pouring out of the roof and second story of  
> the
> building at 3260 R Street, N.W., Gerry McCoy, the archivist who  
> also is
> librarian of the branch's Peabody Room, said photos, maps and oil
> paintings of the neighborhood were stored in the west end of the  
> building,
> which he said was built in 1935. "This has always been my worst  
> nightmare.
> I've always feared this would happen," he said. "I've always  
> thought if
> there was a fire, what would I grab first."
>
> Among the items in the collection, McCoy said, were files on every  
> address
> in the neighborhood compiled from over "20 years worth of  
> research." The
> collection also includes copies of the Maryland Gazette newspaper from
> 1775 and 1776, which reported the Declaration of Independence as a  
> news
> story, according to McCoy. Other items include Civil War maps.
>
> Alan Etter, a fire department spokesman, said no one was hurt in the
> blaze. Heavy smoke and damage kept firefighters out of the building  
> more
> than two hours after the fire was reported at 12:30 p.m. Fire  
> officials
> said they did not know the cause of the library fire.
>
> "The building is in various stages of collapse," Etter said. "From  
> the top
> of the ladder you can see sections of the roof the size of a [Ford]  
> Crown
> Vic dropping into the second floor."
>
> Etter added that he couldn't remember two, three-alarm fires in one  
> day,
> referring to the Eastern Market.
>
> The Georgetown branch and other D.C. libraries have no fire  
> suppression
> systems, said Richard Levy, a member of the D.C. Library board of  
> trustees
> and chairman of the facilities committee.
>
> "We are in the process of renovating all of the branches. There are  
> smoke
> detectors, but no sprinklers," he said.
>
> Ginnie Cooper, chief librarian for the city, said it is common for
> libraries not to have any sprinklers because "the inadvertent  
> letting off
> of water can be more damaging than smoke."
>
> Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), who was on the scene, said "this is our
> historic flagship library."
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