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However, we feel that probably the fire started in vault 8, and that the door was most likely closed.
Mr. Ingram. Your findings seem to go well beyond the GSA fire investigating committee in presenting facts and theories.
Were you asked to make your fuidings available to the GSA committee ?
Mr. EsTEPP. We had a meeting with them and, according to Lieutenant Malberg, who was present — and that is the reason he is here today— the committee came in with a theory that apparently was determined before that meeting and they did not want to be confused with the facts.
Mr. Inrgam. Did you see your investigation at odds or antagonistic with GSA's committee investigation, which may have been for different purposes?
Mr. EsTEPP. I think our investigation is at odds with their investigation. I think they have made a cursory investigation, and they have slipped over some important points and apparently zeroed in on one theory from the very beginning.
I do not think that is a good way to approach an investigation, that is, to have one thought in your mind and exclude all others.
Mr. Ingram. What you are saying, then, is that there was not a working relationship between you and the GSA
Mr, EsTEPp. Lieutenatnt Malberg could better express that, but I think it is safe to say that the kind of working relationship, where people exchange ideas and facts and sit down and come to some consensus, was not present.
Mr. Ingram. The film vault out at the Suitland facility is small when compared to the main Suitland Kecords Center, which houses most of the documents from the Vietnam war and priceless historical records relating to our Government.
If there Avere a fire there tomorrow at the main Suitland Records Center, involving millions of paper records stored there, would the members of your department be familiar with the records center? Would you know precisely how to fight that fire ?
Mr. EsTEPP. I think they would certainly know how to handle a fire involving those materials. The preservation of the materials is not going to be uppennost in our minds. Our minds are going to be geared toward rescue, evacuation of building occupants, trying to save the general structure if we can, and, certainly, firefighter safety.
If we can save these records we would certainly attempt to do that. We have preplanned that facility and we are aware of most of the conditions that are there. I am not certain we know all of the documents that are contained there.
Again, there is very little information that has flowed from those people concerning what is onsite,
Mr. Ingram. That is the point I was trying to get at; that is, whether or not you are aware, for example, "if the Records Center is in compliance with the county fire codes or the GSA fire codes.
Mr. EsTEPP. We would not have inspected the entire building. We avail ourselves to the primary fire protection features of the building, the Siamese connections, where the hydrants are located, and how rnany people are inside. We would not be making full-fledged inspections of those facilities.
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