Overview
- An alert from the CHSCT, cited by BFMTV, says a valve feeding defective overhead pipes triggered a large dirty-water flood over the Egyptian Antiquities documentation area on November 27.
- Roughly 400 volumes were damaged, with reports noting some centuries-old bindings are now beyond restoration.
- The surge infiltrated the floor below and reached an electrical cabinet, a situation described as capable of causing a fire.
- Staff had long warned about dilapidated piping and sought funding to protect the library, as critics point to €276,000 spent on directorate offices as evidence of misplaced priorities.
- The Louvre says an internal investigation is underway, calls the hydraulic network obsolete with replacement planned for 2026, and plans to reinforce safeguards to prevent human error.