By: Malcolm McKay - 16th February 2014 at 21:30
There was a rumour that someone, with an Australian accent, was seen with files marked “Burma,” and a box of matches, but I discounted that.
Damn!!! so who’s the grass? Not that I’m confirming or denying the rumour. 🙂
By: John Green - 16th February 2014 at 17:00
There’s no smoke without fire.
By: Trolly Aux - 16th February 2014 at 15:39
By the size of the flames it must of been the thread on here alight !
By: Edgar Brooks - 16th February 2014 at 13:40
Were you definately in the same part of the building?
There are signs, on internal doors, saying that, if the alarm sounds, they will close automatically, cutting off access to the stairs. With the fire (and thick black smoke) outside, people were kept inside, to avoid any chance of smoke inhalation; those who had got outside were brought back into the air-conditioned, warm, dry entrance hall, where there were always several staff, who did their best to keep everyone informed, but there’s no mileage to be gained from that, of course.
There was a rumour that someone, with an Australian accent, was seen with files marked “Burma,” and a box of matches, but I discounted that.
By: Malcolm McKay - 16th February 2014 at 10:56
Oh great!
How long before the conspiracy theory “The Burma proof was destroyed – deliberately/accidentally – delete as applicable to your argument” arises.
Ross
What is worse still are the headlines “Myanmar Spitfire Sceptics Accused of Attempting to Incinerate Edgar Brooks”
When asked how he felt about this attempt to incinerate him Mr Brooks replied “Harrump!!! Stuff and nonsense!!! I was only slight singed and asked to leave the building”
Myanmar Spitfire Sceptics have denied these charges but an unnamed source is quoted as saying “Well they would say that wouldn’t they”
Meanwhile at the National Archives smoke is abating. 😀
By: trumper - 16th February 2014 at 09:31
Sensationalist nonsense (I was there.) .
Were you definately in the same part of the building?
By: T-21 - 16th February 2014 at 08:22
Why do they allow these type of properties to be so close to a National archive ?
By: Alan Clark - 15th February 2014 at 23:26
It may well have an impact into next week, even though the building was (really is) disused. I had been planning the trip for Tuesday so it’s possibly saved me getting up at 05:45 to get there from ~180 miles away.
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th February 2014 at 22:40
Charlie
May I assure you that the person you refer to as a ‘twit tweeting’ is far from such.
Edgar
The information I posted came from another who was there. It is clear that his experience, plus one other whom I believe was in the invigilation room, was entirely different to yours. Your suggestion seems to be that theirs is an untruthful account.
My purpose in posting was not to be sensationalist and I merely posted what was (a) already elsewhere in the public domain and (b) that which I had picked up via social media and other sources. I had hoped, in posting, that this information might serve as useful early notice to those who may be planning a journey to Kew (perhaps from a very long distance) next week and in the event that what happened today might have had an impact into next week.
By: charliehunt - 15th February 2014 at 18:10
Yet another example of twits tweeting!
By: Edgar Brooks - 15th February 2014 at 17:52
Neil Bright, a London Blitz Tour Guide has jest tweeted this: “Nat Archives closed for day. Place full of fumes. Floor staff took us to locked fire exits”
Sensationalist nonsense (I was there.) Everyone was led/taken/directed to the main entrance hall, where we stood/sat/talked for about an hour, until the Fire Brigade confirmed that the danger was past. Since the upper floors had received smoke damage, the fire alarms could not be reset, so we were told to go home, and business would resume, as usual, on Tuesday. On the first floor, as we were allowed to recover our papers and equipment, there was a faint smell of smoke; can’t say about the floor above. The fire was in an outside building, so the main structure is untouched.
By: Ross_McNeill - 15th February 2014 at 17:51
Oh great!
How long before the conspiracy theory “The Burma proof was destroyed – deliberately/accidentally – delete as applicable to your argument” arises.
Ross
By: jack windsor - 15th February 2014 at 17:45
Phew… the old heart rate went up a couple of beats seeing that head line…
just a question- how much of the doc,s are digitalised?
jack…
By: Trolly Aux - 15th February 2014 at 14:47
A ha
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th February 2014 at 14:45
Yes, as I updated in my #2 Trolly Aux
This just posted by TNA Kew:
“We can confirm all records and people are safe and were unharmed”
By: Trolly Aux - 15th February 2014 at 14:41
Its on the western side and If I remember correctly is a water or fuel tank area but may house waste bins too, Nothing to do with the main building
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th February 2014 at 14:13
Neil Bright, a London Blitz Tour Guide has jest tweeted this: “Nat Archives closed for day. Place full of fumes. Floor staff took us to locked fire exits”
Although it is too early to say or know what the situation is we all hope it is not too serious. However, it may impact on the opening of TNA next week for anybody planning a visit.
And this updated Tweet from National Archives themselves: “We can confirm the fire has been put out, but we will stay closed to the public in order to recover the building.”
They do not say (yet) how long the closure will be or what the extent of damage is. Hopefully it is only to the fabric of a part of the building. Another Tweet from a Kew researcher indicates the fire was contained in ‘an outbuilding’.
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February 15, 2014 at 2:09 pm