The Georgian Justice Ministry on Saturday responded to “various fake information” being spread over the fire on the territory of the National Archives in Tbilisi on Friday, saying “no one” had been injured in the blaze and “valuable materials” stored in a separate building had been digitised and their copies saved in the film archives.
Buba Lomuashvili, the Deputy Justice Minister, told the press on Saturday police were looking into the causes of the fire in the building located on the territory of the country’s National Archives, storing a nitrate film collection.
The official extended his gratitude to the Emergency Management Service for containing the fire shortly, adding his body would be allowed into the site after the Interior Ministry completed mandatory, legal procedures for its investigation.
He described the category of film as “easily flammable” and claimed “all necessary measures and systems” had been ensured to prevent fires or any damages to the files.
The National Archives of Georgia also released a statement over the fire on Friday, saying “all film tapes” in the building had been digitised and their copies saved.