About 400 rare books were successfully recovered by firefighters in Sicily from a municipal library in the town of Niscemi, which is located literally on the edge of a massive fissure that opened after a devastating landslide in January. The landslide destroyed an entire hillside of the town, creating a fissure approximately five kilometers long.

The library building is situated at the edge of the cliff left behind by the landslide, with part of it suspended over the void. The recovery operation, which began on Monday, was organized after a detailed study of floor plans and photographs of the interior, in order to map the exact location of the books.

Firefighters opened a passage by breaking through the wall of a neighboring building and entered the dangerous section for only a few minutes at a time. After tying the bookcases together for stability, they pulled them backward to reach the valuable volumes.

Biblioteca sull’orlo DELLA FRANA A NISCEMI: i vigili del fuoco salvano 350 volumi

The library houses approximately 4,000 volumes of literature, history and general interest, including rare editions on the history of Sicily dating to before 1830. Among the most important treasures is a book from the 16th century.

“It was like carrying out a bank robbery,” said Salvatore Candale, commander of the fire service of the province of Caltanissetta. “We had to move quickly and remove as much as possible.”

During the operation, a drone transmitted images to a screen on the ground, while laser sensors placed on the section hanging over the void recorded even the slightest movement. At the same time, a special device monitored vibrations and imperceptible changes in the building’s tilt.

The landslide began on January 25, when the ground started to subside, cracking the asphalt and causing severe damage to buildings. Some later collapsed into the void, along with a section of road where cars and vans were parked. More than 1,600 residents have been evacuated from the area.

A significant number of books remain in the basement, which is considered the most dangerous point. Authorities are examining the possibility of using robotic systems; however, there is currently no suitable equipment available in the town.

“If we find the appropriate robot, we will use it immediately. Otherwise, we will have to wait,” Candale said, noting that the building is a single reinforced-concrete structure. “If it collapses, it will fall all at once.”

In recent days, well-known Italian writers had appealed to the authorities to save the collection, which is located in the so-called “black zone.”