Salvage Operation Recovers Documents from Fire-Damaged Block D at Barbados Archives Department - Full Story Inside
June 21, 2024
Documents salvaged from Block D of the Archives Department after a fire at Lazaretto in Black Rock, St Michael. Efforts by Barbados Fire and Police Services, volunteers, and ROAD project members. Importance of digitizing records emphasized.
Several documents were salvaged from Block D of the Archives Department yesterday, as the combined effort of the Barbados Fire Service, the Barbados Police Service, volunteers and members of the Reclaiming Our Atlantic Destiny (ROAD) project worked around the clock to retrieve what they could.
Block D, located at the Lazaretto in Black Rock, St Michael, was gutted by fire on Monday night. Initial reports from the Barbados Fire Service indicated that a lightning strike to the roof led to the blaze, which spread rapidly because of the aged documents.
Division Fire Officer Marlon Small said the purpose of the operation was to ensure that combustible areas were extinguished and the structure safe for the salvage crew.
Reflecting on the loss of historical records, Professor Emeritus Sir Henry Fraser stressed the need to support the Archives Department in its aim to digitise their documents. (JRN)
