80% of L.A. Library’s Books Saved : Arson Investigators Searching Debris for Cause of Fire

Quick, courageous action by the Los Angeles Fire Department was credited today with limiting the loss of books to thousands, rather than millions, in the stubborn blaze that gutted the Los Angeles Central Library.

At least 80% of the library’s collection was apparently saved, Fire Capt. Tony DiDominico said today. Neither DiDominico nor library officials could estimate the dollar loss, though parts of the collection are considered priceless.

Arson inspectors examining the blackened, book-littered interior of the nation’s third-largest public library have yet to determine whether the fire was deliberately set or accidental.

DiDominico said the fire originated on the second-floor stack area of the library’s northeast quadrant at 11 a.m. Tuesday. It was controlled at 8 p.m., but “tiny” spot fires were still being extinguished by firefighters this morning.

47 Hurt Fighting Fire

DiDominico said 46 firefighters and one civilian were injured during the long fight to save the uniquely designed 60-year-old downtown landmark, which housed about 2 million books and documents.

Martha Katsuforakis, vice president of the Library Commission, said after touring the building this morning that it is “incredible” that firemen were able to save as many books as they did. She said the library’s interior is “eerie,” with water five to eight inches deep in some places.

“It’s pretty terrible to see burned books--it’s like some of your friends are gone,” she said.

DiDominico said Deputy Fire Chief Don Anthony, who directed more than 250 firefighters who battled the blaze, sent three fire department salvage teams into the building with the first wave of firemen to begin covering books and documents with protective tarpaulins and plastic sheets. Not long afterward, about 100 firefighters not directly engaged in battling the flames began helping the 12-man salvage team.

‘Some of Them Just Kids’

“I was so proud of those firefighters--some of them just kids 19 and 20 years old--to see them engage such a fierce fire without ever backing out,” DiDominico said.

Sixty-four firemen were still working in the building today, using mops and squeegees to clean up water still puddled in parts of the building.

To help save the thousands of books damaged by smoke and water, library officials contracted with a San Francisco firm that specializes in quick-freezing massive quantities of books and then blow-drying them two weeks later. The process makes it possible to suction off most of the damage.

$500,000 OKd by Council

After being briefed by fire and library officials on the extent of the damage, the City Council today approved $500,000 to help pay for the salvage operation.

Eric Lundquist of Document Reprocessors said he plans to use hundreds of library employees and volunteers to carefully cart water-damaged books into long trucks that will take them to a cold storage company in Vernon.

Experts say the freezing must be accomplished within 48 hours to prevent mildew from forming on the books, which means it may be impossible to save some books. Lundquist said it appears impossible to freeze all of the library’s water-damaged books that soon.

Lundquist said he hopes that the process can begin this afternoon. Books that are not water- or smoke-damaged will be taken for storage to the Los Angeles Convention Center.