Photo by hmerinomx
Ellis Island, a popular tourist attraction today, welcomed millions of immigrants to the United States for a little more than half a century. Shortly after opening its doors in 1892, a devastating fire that destroyed many buildings broke-out on the afternoon of June 15, 1897. No major injuries were reported.
Recently on Friday, November 5, 2009, at about the same time the 1897 fire was ablaze, emergency responders received calls about a fire that had broken out on Ellis Island. The fire started in a maintenance room when a transformer malfunctioned. Ironically, this incident happened at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, which commemorates those who came to the United States in hopes for a better life.
The transformer led to power failure; causing tourists in an elevator to have to be rescued by fire fighters when the lift got stuck. Everyone on Ellis Island was evacuated as a safety precaution, but no one was injured. It is expected that tourists will be allowed back onto the island by the beginning of the week. More on the Ellis Island fire.
Businesses, even museums, never know when a disaster will happen to them. It is important that professional establishments-big and small-create an emergency disaster plan should the unexpected happen. Find out businesses can develop their own emergency disaster plans.
Read how one museum recovered from a disaster.
Tags: Ellis Island, fire recovery, museum fire