On April 10, 2003, at 12:30 PM, a fire broke out in Warehouse # 1 of the Kamianets Podilsky Archives. It took over 5 hours to put out the fire.
Five of the most valuable fonds (record collections) were ablaze: f.226, Podolia State Chamber (Kazennaia Palata) (1796-1919), f.228, Office of Governor of Podolia (1795-1917), f. 112, Office for peasant affairs of Podolia Gubernia (1861-1919), f. 678, Kamianets city office (1875-1920), f. 249, Office of Military Governor (1795-1845). These historical fonds (about 100,000 files) cover the history of Podolia Gubernia from the end of the XVIII century through the beginning of the XX century.
More than 2 tons of archival material were evacuated from the destroyed warehouse. About 1,500 items (wet but not ablaze) were dried in four special rooms for drying. Fortunately, in a few days after the fire, these records were already be in a good condition. About 10, 000 other items were transferred into a refrigerator and frozen at -30C. At least part of these should be restored in special drying/fumigation chambers probably in Wroclaw (Poland). Only after that it would be possible to summarize the losses. So far we can state that we lost much: no less than 50, 000 items (over 50% of the collection housed in this building) were exterminated completely and hopelessly by fire.
In addition to those documents that were completely destroyed, many unique historical documents were water-damaged.
The Chairman of the State Archives Committee, Dr. Hennadii Boriak, immediately went from Kyiv to Kamianets Podilsky to survey the damage, take photographs and to formulate a plan for the rescue and recovery of documents. Since the fire, for a few weeks hundreds of people - local archivists together with cadets, policeman, fireman and other municipal personnel, students, ordinary people have been working around the clock to save whatever is possible.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Obviously it was triggered by electrical wires.
Now Archives in Kamianets Podilsky is closed. All records that are not of local but of high National importance are being transferred to the State Archives of Khmelnytsky region (oblast) in Khmelnytsky city.
On tentative estimations the restoration works will last some 50 years.
On June 12 and June 17 the Comissions were issued accordingly by the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and the Prime-Minister of Ukraine Viktor Janukovych in order to liquidate consequences оf fire and strengthen the base of the State Archives throughout Ukraine. Executing these Comissions the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has allocated 406, 000 hryvnas (about $80,000) out of Emergency Fund of the Government to transfer the rest of archives to Khmelnytsky, to purchase the equipment for newly created Restoration Center at Khmelnytsky Archives, including special chamber for fumigation and drying the records etc.
During this tragic time, the Ukraine State Archives have received hundreds of letters and e-mails from friends, colleagues and concerned people from all over the world, expressing their shock and hope that some documents may be saved.
Additionally, we have received assistance both in technical advice and support as well as financial support that is enabling us to use the most sophisticated and known methods of preservation in such a situation.
Our archival colleagues in neighboring countries have been of valuable assistance and we are grateful for this.
The Polish State Archives immediately following the fire proposed to deliver technical assistance in transportation, defrosting, drying and fumigation of the frozen records. This work would be done with the Konvak company located in Wroclaw, Poland. This company specializes in equipment which is designed specifically for this purpose.
We are very grateful to the Polish State Archives for arranging this complicated and costly procedure. Immediately following the defrosting/drying process, a special workshop is planned in Wroclaw where dozens of people from several countries will meet to evaluate the surviving documents and the best way to proceed.
We are also grateful to the number of individuals and institutions who have made generous contributions towards the restoration project.
Assistance from around the world is in process.
Dear Colleagues,
Let your archives be preserved carefully and safely!
God bless your archives!
Press-service of the State Committee
Tel. (044)2774522
E-mail: kp-fire@archives.gov.ua
Головна сторінка | Nota Bene | Генеалогія | Новини | Публікації | Архіви в Україні | Архіви в світі | Контакти | Карта порталу
Copyright © 2008 - Державний комітет архівів України
Всі права застережені
Вебмайстер: webmaster@archives.gov.ua