Hide Article Text (OCR)
OVERLAND, Mo. (AP) — Flames were brought under control again Friday after consuming millions of service records in a two-day fire on the top floor of the Military Personnel Records Center, fire officials said.More than 200 St. Louis County firemen battled the blaze which started Wednesday night and flared again late Thursday at the two-block-long building that houses the files of 56 million servicemen.“I believe we have it whipped now,” said one fire fighter.Embers smouldered even though the flames were out and firemen said they would continue to pump water on the smoking roof through the weekend. The large volume of tightly packed paper and the l,800square-foot area in which it had to burn contributed to the length of the fire, officials said.Six firefighters were treated at hospitals for smoke inhalation or minor injuries and as many as 20 suffered heat exhaustion.The Federal Bureau of Investigation continued to probe arson as a possible cause of the fire.The sixth floor houses about 26 million Army and Air Force records, most of which were believed destroyed. The center is the only depository for files on men and women from all branches of the service but most of those affected were pre-1960 files.Navy records are stored on the fifth floor and government officials feared they would be badly damaged by heat, smoke and water.The fashion in which the records were packed, some in boxes and others on open shelves, helped fuel the flames.The General Services Administration, which operates the million-square-foot building, said it would be early next week before a cost estimate could be placed on damages.Some of the burned records, although not duplicated elsewhere, could be reconstructed if needed through documents such as discharge papers, a GSA official said.Donald E. Johnson, Veterans Administration director, said in Washington the fire would have no impact on 13 million veterans and their dependents receiving VA benefits.A computerized master index is maintained by the VA in Washington on more than 32 million veterans, living and dead, he said.Also in Washington the national commander of AMVETS, Joseph R. Sansom, said he sent telegramsto the GSA, President Nixon, Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield and House Speaker Carl Albert expressing concern.#Sansom urged members of Congress to make certain funds are available to collect and assemble duplicate records that may be stored elsewhere and that plans be made for new storage affording maximum fireproofing.Hillelson announced the appointment of an ad hoc committee late Friday to study the impact of the fire.He said the committee would study all ‘‘facets of the fire and make recommendations.” It is to be chaired by Dee A. Patterson, acting regional commissioner of public buildings service of the GSA’s sixth region.Hillelson said the seven-member committee would convene not later than next Tuesday.
Newspaper Details
Jefferson City Daily Capital News
Jefferson City, Missouri, US
Sat, Jul 14, 1973
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Muskingum C.
OH, USA 18 Aug 2020
Other Publications Near Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City Tribune Post
Jefferson City Democrat Tribune
Daily Democrat Tribune
Jefferson City Post Tribune
Daily Capital News
