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Archiver > CLEVELAND-SURNAME > 2000-03 > 0952135758


From: "Norm Steffen" <>
Subject: Re: [Cleveland-Surname] Fw: A very sad day for genealogists
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 21:09:18 -0500


Could be but but necessarily. The National Archive catalogs all manner of
things. Could be the plans for some old western fort or the results of a
study on killer bees.

Norm

----- Original Message -----
From: Fred <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2000 7:20 AM
Subject: [Cleveland-Surname] Fw: A very sad day for genealogists


> This kind of information affects us all, in one way or another either
> immediately or later, but is never what we want to hear!
> Fred
>
>
> > 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
> >
> >
>
>
> ==== CLEVELAND-SURNAME Mailing List ====
> Fred W. Reese
> Listowner of CLEVELAND-SURNAME list
> Rootsweb Donor
>

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