PARIS: Between 300 and 400 documents were damaged when the Louvre library in Paris was flooded with dirty water in late November as a result of leaking old pipes, Sputnik/RIA Novosti reported Sunday, citing the museum’s deputy administrator Francis Steinbock.
“The flooding affected one of the three halls of the library of the Department of Egyptian Antiquities. Currently, 300 to 400 works have been damaged, and we are currently conducting a full inventory. These works were wet as a result of a leaking pipe. They were removed, opened, and now the delicate work of drying them page by page with blotting paper is underway,” he told the BFMTV broadcaster.
According to Steinbock, only periodicals, reference works, and archaeological journals consulted by Egyptologists, Louvre staff, and students were damaged. The oldest of these date back to the late 19th century, while others date back to the early 20th century, the deputy administrator added.
He acknowledged that problems with the ventilation and heating system, which relies on hot or cold water being piped through the museum, had been known for several years. Steinbock noted that the affected area of the museum is on the list of rooms scheduled for upgrades.
According to a report by BFMTV channel, the incident occurred on November 26 and was caused by the mistaken opening of a valve, which led to a massive flood of dirty water in the library hall.
In mid-November, the Louvre announced the closure of one of its galleries to visitors due to fragility of the ceilings.
On October 19, thieves broke into the Louvre and stole nine pieces of jewelry, including tiaras, earrings, necklaces, and brooches belonging to French queens and empresses. One of the pieces, the damaged crown of Empress Eugenie de Montijo, was recovered and returned to the museum.
The damage from the robbery is estimated at €88 million (US$102.5 million). Several people were arrested on suspicion of the robbery, five of whom have been charged.
On November 6, the French Court of Auditors issued a report urging the Louvre’s management to reconsider its financial priorities in favour of improving security. Pierre Moscovici, the head of the court, also stated that auditors had revised preliminary cost estimates for the Louvre’s large-scale restoration, increasing the total project cost to €1.15 billion.
Commenting on the museum’s security lapses, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati promised that measures would be taken by the end of 2025 to prevent a repeat of the incident.
Opened in 1793 and formerly a royal residence, the Louvre remains the most visited museum in the world. – BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
