Firefighters in Sicily rescue 400 rare books from the library after a landslide | Italy

Firefighters in Sicily rescued about 400 rare books from a library in Nissimi that was hanging on the edge of a mudflow, after a devastating landslide in January destroyed an entire slope of the city and created a 4-kilometre-long chasm.

The library stands on the edge of a cliff created by the landslide, with part of the building hanging in the air. The recovery process, which began Monday, was preceded by a detailed study of floor plans and interior photographs to map the location of the books.

Firefighters dug into the building wall behind the structure, entering for minutes at a time, tying bookcases together and pulling them back to access the books.

The library contains about 4,000 books on literature, history and general non-fiction, including a number of rare pre-1830 editions on the history of Sicily. Among its precious treasures is a book from the sixteenth century.

“It was like a bank robbery,” said Salvatore Cantale, regional commander of the Caltanissetta fire brigade. “We had to be quick and try to take as much as we could.”

A drone broadcast live aerial images to a screen on the ground, while laser sensors mounted on the swinging section above the landing were used to detect the slightest movement. A separate device monitors vibrations and subtle shifts in the building’s tilt.

The landslide began on January 25 when the ground began shifting, cracking the asphalt and tearing apart buildings. Some of it later collapsed into the void, along with a section of the road where cars and trucks were parked. More than 1,600 people were evacuated from the city.

Many folders remain in the basement, which is considered the most vulnerable area. Officials are considering using robots, although none are suitable in Nisimi.

“If we can find the robot, we will use it immediately,” Cantal said. “Otherwise, we will have to wait.” “The problem is that this building is actually a single reinforced concrete structure. If it collapses, it will collapse all at once.”

Geologists working alongside firefighters expected the landslide front to retreat another 10 to 15 metres, pulling more buildings down the slope, including the library, Cantal said.

He said: “According to geologists, instead of the library collapsing, it is more likely to slide down as a single mass. If that happens, we have already assessed that it may actually be easier to recover the remaining books once they have fallen.”

Some of Italy’s most famous writers urged the authorities to restore the collection, which is located in the “Black Zone.”

“I don’t know if our appeal really helped ensure that some of these ancient volumes were saved, but I think it played at least a small role,” Stefania Osei, author of the best-selling novel The Florios of Sicily, told Adnkronos news agency.