Firefighters Battle Blaze at Georgetown Branch of DC Public Library

[Divernan]

Source: NBC

WASHINGTON -- The Georgetown branch of the D.C. Public Library is on fire, authorities said.

The D.C. Fire Department is battling a two-alarm blaze at the building in the 3600 block of R Street in northwest D.C. News4's Darcy Spencer reported that firefighters are trying to save paintings and historic items from the building.

Fire department spokesman Alan Etter said the building's entire roof was on fire and parts of the structure was collapsing. There were no reports of injuries. The building is under renovation. The cause of the fire is unknown.

The Georgetown branch was opened in 1935. Its Peabody Room contains a special collection of items pertaining to the history of Georgetown. The fire chief told Spencer that they are aware of the location of the room and will try their best to prevent fire and water damage.

The fire was Monday's second at a historic building. Eastern Market on Capitol Hill suffered major damage in an early morning fire.

Read more: www.nbc4.com

[Laughing Mirror]

1. Are arsonists on the loose in the nation's capital?

And if so, why are they targeting wonderful old historic buildings, both in very important political parts of town, one in Georgetown, the other Capitol Hill.

Maybe it's just a coincidence.

[MountainLaurel]

2. Regarding the library, I doubt it

That building was in incredibly poor condition -- It was my local library until last October. I wouldn't doubt that the electrical system sparked for some reason.

[Recursion]

4. I think the eastern market fire is suspicious; that library is/was a deathtrap

The Eastern Market fire started in a dumpster and there was another dumpster fire in the neighborhood that night.

The library is just an old, decrepit building that probably spontaneously combusted out of self-pity.

[Bitwit1234]

3. That and Eastern Market were destroyed

think of all the history and documents that have been destroyed. It is so sad.

[Eugene]

5. AP: D.C. Library's Archives Mostly Intact

Source: Associated Press

D.C. Library's Archives Mostly Intact

By BRETT ZONGKER
The Associated Press
Wednesday, May 2, 2007; 10:30 PM

WASHINGTON -- Most of the art and irreplaceable documents that were
feared lost in a fire at the historic Georgetown public library probably
can be saved, library officials said Wednesday.

The fire Monday burned through parts of the roof, and water damaged
most of the library's second floor, said libraries spokeswoman Monica
Lewis.

The Smithsonian Institution Libraries' Book Conservatory Laboratory is
helping with the preservation of soggy but valuable books, and the
District of Columbia Public Library system has contracted with
conservation groups to save other books and historic documents.

The library houses the Peabody collection, which includes valuable
books, paintings, rare maps of Civil War fortifications and copies of
newspapers that contained stories about the signing of the Declaration
of Independence.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/02/AR2007050202827.html