http://museum-security.org
JULY 23, 1997


Fire broke out in an area of the roof that was being renovated!!

AGAIN: remember the Hofburg in Vienna, Windsor Castle, and the Royal
Academy (May 4, 1997). All these fires were caused by construction
work.  This is the third museum fire within three months: Royal
Academy (May), Tate Gallery (June).....



French firefighters douse Paris museum blaze
By Christian Curtenelle

PARIS, July 23 (Reuter) - More than 100 firefighters battled half the
night to put out a blaze in a Paris architecture museum near the
Eiffel Tower on Wednesday. Two firefighters were injured working to
contain the flames in a wing of the Palais de Chaillot, containing the
Museum of French Monuments as well as a film library in one of the
capital's most famed tourist attractions. At least two explosions,
apparently of windows shattering from the intense heat, were heard
when the fire broke out. Initially, firefighters incorrectly said the
blaze was in another wing of the colonnaded palace containing the
Musee de l'Homme (Museum of Man) that traces human history with
statues, frescoes and costumes. ``It's still very hard to assess the
extent of the damage,'' a spokesman for the firefighters said after a
battle of more than three hours to bring the flames under control. The
fire was smouldering in parts of the building at the Trocadero square
overlooking the Seine river towards the Eiffel Tower. Thick smoke was
still complicating the task. But commander Philippe Lavoil, of the
Paris firefighters, said earlier in the night that the ``national
heritage in terms of art works, does not seem affected.'' The Museum
of French Monuments includes copies or models of some of France's most
famous buildings, including the great cathedrals of Notre-Dame and
Chartres, in a history of the nation's monumental architecture. Films
were taken out of the film library. The building also contains a
cinema museum with props including the skeletal frame of Mrs Bates
from the horror movie Psycho. About 120 fire fighters were called in
from all over Paris and brought the blaze under control shortly before
1 a.m. (1100 GMT Tuesday), a spokesman said. Two firefighters were
slightly injured and one was taken to hospital for treatment. Police
were ordered to carry out an investigation into the causes of the
fire, a police spokesman said. Initial evidence pointed to an
accidental blaze. The fire broke out in an area of the roof that was
being renovated. Culture Minister Catherine Trautmann visited the
scene while the fire was raging. The Trocadero, choked by thick smoke,
was sealed off to traffic. The director of the Palais de Chaillot
said: ``The frame of the roof window caught fire and that made the
glass explode. The frame fell on the museum collections...mouldings,
plasterwork. ``The museum has never known such a catastrophe,'' he
told Europe 1 radio. Copyright 1997 Reuters Limited
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