Library fire ‘not intentional’; damage still being assessed | The … – The Recorder (subscription)

By JOHN PURCELL

Recorder News Staff

An investigation has concluded that last weeks fire at the Amsterdam Free Library was not intentional or suspicious, according to fire officials.

Amsterdam Fire Chief Michael Whitty said an equipment malfunction is believed to have ignited the blaze, which could be confirmed with more definitive testing by the insurance company. He said there was no evidence of suspicious activity or that the fire was intentionally set.

City firefighters responded around 2:30 a.m. on June 20 to the library to see a portable hydraulic lift fully engulfed in flames, with the fire beginning to spread to the building. Library officials said contractors working on the library had parked the machine further away from the building, but somehow it rolled forward and up the front stairs before it stopped.

I know everybody was kind of pointing at the fact that machine had started moving on its own, but its a diesel engine if you get those things turning, theyll start, Whitty said. There is battery power to that side, so once things are exposed to heat and flame, strange things happen.

The fire appeared to have ignited on the side of the hydraulic lift cab housing the fuel tank.

Whitty said destructive testing would need to be performed to confirm a mechanical failure triggered the blaze. The testing would alter the evidence, so all representatives would need to be present from respective insurance agencies. He said fire departments do not perform this extensive testing.

In the mean time, the library is still assessing the extent of the damage and the repairs that need to be made.

The library has reopened with regular hours but the second floor, which houses the Childrens Department, remains closed.

During a tour of the library with community leaders on Tuesday, Amsterdam Free Library Director Nicole Hemsley said an evaluation determined there is medium to light layer of soot on everything throughout the second floor, such as the carpet, furniture and books. She did not want to reopen the space until everything is fully cleaned or replaced.

Every book has to be cleaned, which is a huge job, Hemsley said. All the walls have to be washed down, tiles are going to have to be replaced and windows are going to have to be replaced. We are also looking at the carpet.

The librarys Summer Reading Program, which was scheduled to kick off July 5 has been pushed back to July 24 and an updated schedule will be posted to the librarys website and Facebook page.

She said the goal is to have the second floor reopened by that time but getting the interior cleaned and repaired is the primary focus at the moment.

As hard as all of this is, our main goal is just to look beyond it and make sure our doors are open and we are fully functional again, Hemsley said. Weve had a lot of outreach from the community asking how they could help and it warms my heart to see it, so we will definitely let people know how they can help.

Hemsley said library staff are waiting for insurance companies to complete their assessments before letting community members know how they can help. An overall cost of damage has not been determined to date.

Eric Trahan, executive director of the Mohawk Valley Library System, said the disaster interrupted educational opportunities the library offers every day to the community, but it would soon be back at full speed.

The Childrens Department may be closed, but programing for kids has been moved to the main floor.

Weve pulled some aspects of the upstairs to downstairs, so that when children come in they can still have something to do. We dont want them not coming for an entire month and not having something to do, Hemsley said.

Katie Stevens, childrens librarian, said the library is trying to make the best with what resources it has available during the temporary closure of the second floor. A Create Space was installed on the ground floor, so children can participate in arts and crafts projects.

Hemsley said the damage to the building could have been worse.

Our fire department came over and put the fire really quickly and saved the building, Hemsley said. It had started breaking through the upper soffit and it was minutes away from entering the attic cavity, which is lined 115-year-old wood.

Whitty had said while most damage was limited to the librarys exterior, flames started to breach wooden enclosures along the edge of the roof, some of the window frames and into the wall cavities around those areas.

Hemsley said she was heartbroken the plaster Open to All emblem which had been painstakingly scraped and repainted, was damaged,

Hemsley said the decorative front door recently installed also must be replaced. She said the metalwork, showing a scene with two children among a towering stack of books, was damaged beyond repair.

She said the artist, William Bush, of Bush Millwork, has agreed to create a replica of the metalwork. Hemsley said she would like to save the original metalwork to possibly hang somewhere in the library.

Patrons must access the library at its north entrance along Route 5 until repairs are completed at the main entrance.

Mayor Michael Villa said the community is blessed to have the library and he was thankful the building was saved.

Kelly Quist-Demars, representative from U.S Rep. Paul Tonkos office, read a statement from the local congressman about the fire and recovery efforts.

I was concerned and saddened to hear about the recent fire outside of the historic Amsterdam Free Library, Tonko stated. I am thankful for the quick response of the Amsterdam Fire Department and that the damage was mostly limited to the outside of the building. Libraries like this one are truly the hearts of their surrounding communities, welcoming young and old, rich and poor alike into their doors and sharing the gift of knowledge and learning with all who seek it.

Tonko also commended Hemsley and library staff for their dedication to work through the difficult time as recovery efforts are continued.

Hemsley said insurance should be able to cover repairs needed at the library.

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Library fire 'not intentional'; damage still being assessed | The ... - The Recorder (subscription)