The university burns

[Andre]

That's in Delft.

I'm witnessing it from my appartment in Holland:

No casualities but it's a very sad day for science.

 

[robphy]

Seems related:
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2008/05/massive_fire_destroys_delfts_a.php [Broken]

 

[vanesch]

I read in a newspaper that it is the civil engineering department that's on fire...
Terrible !

 

[robphy]

http://home.tudelft.nl/en/ [Broken]
says
"No injuries reported in fire at Faculty of Architecture"

http://www.tudelft.nl/live/pagina.jsp?id=fe4e29d1-c634-46ba-a042-9825b799e1e4&lang=en [Broken]
says

"Fire at TU Delft 13.30
13 May 2008 by M&C

This morning, just before half past nine, a fire was reported at the Faculty of Architecture. Everyone could leave the building immediately during the evacuation.

At 12.15 the fire was still not yet under control. People who live in the vicinity of the campus and staff and students at TU Delft are advised to keep all doors and windows closed until further notice.

Staff and students of the Architecture faculty and other evacuees have been taken to the Aula. Although there were no personal accidents, we regret the loss of the work of staff and students and a number of collections. Information will be sent out shortly when the Architecture lectures will be resumed. TU Delft's Executive Board is currently investigating at which alternative locations staff and students of the Architecture faculty can be housed."

 

[lisab]

that's awful!

 

[humanino]

Once a very old library was on fire in Paris. Some books, several hundreds years old, disappeared into smoke and ahses. I must admit, that day I was more affected by this than by other news involving human deaths. It was strange to me at this time to realize that I did not feel ashamed for those feelings.

 

[Evo]

Once a very old library was on fire in Paris. Some books, several hundreds years old, disappeared into smoke and ahses. I must admit, that day I was more affected by this than by other news involving human deaths. It was strange to me at this time to realize that I did not feel ashamed for those feelings.

Those works that were destroyed were someone's life, in a way.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Good that everyone was ok.

 

[Andre]

Right, it's indeed the factulty of "bouwkunde", construction and architecture,

http://www.tudelft.nl/live/pagina.jsp?id=b226846d-f19f-4c34-97ed-165fecc5ad8f&lang=nl [Broken]

 

[oedipa maas]

Oh my goodness! This makes me want to back up my data.

A friend of mine at another Dutch university was just complaining to me that the fire officials are insisting that they remove their coffee machine because it is a fire hazard.

 

[Moonbear]

Oh my goodness! This makes me want to back up my data.

Indeed, people often don't take data backup seriously enough. Two copies in your office is not a backup.

Nonetheless, even with backup, with a fire like that, you lose equipment and ongoing work that could take years to set up again. Very unfortunate. Glad all the people got out safely though; that's the most important thing.

 

[turbo]

Indeed, people often don't take data backup seriously enough. Two copies in your office is not a backup.

People have no clue. When I was the network administrator for a large ophthalmic medical practice, I insisted on off-site backups for all the financials, at the minimum. They had a bit of a clue before I got there, but the business office manager thought that an adequate backup was driving around with a weekly summary of the receivables in print-out form in her trunk. Duh!

 

[Darkiekurdo]

That sucks. There were some very old books in that building.

 

[vanesch]

A friend of mine at another Dutch university was just complaining to me that the fire officials are insisting that they remove their coffee machine because it is a fire hazard.

I once worked with a Dutch postdoc, who worked at night, and needed a lot of strong coffee. Dangerous guy !

 

[oedipa maas]

http://www.nu.nl/img.db/1566153+s(350!x234!) [Broken]

The building is pretty much completely destroyed.