The first tapes, taken out of the safe two weeks ago, have not been damaged by the fire. The rest of the back-up tapes of Mathematical Sciences will be checked in the coming weeks.
R. Strijbos, head of the computer section of Mathematics, hopes and expects that the remaining, unchecked, tapes are also undamaged. 'However it is a time-consuming job to look at all back-ups. Each tape takes approximately four to six hours. That will keep us occupied for a while yet.'
To the great relief of the Mathematics department the safe was taken from the blackened part of the TW/RC-building two weeks ago. The safe turned out to have withstood the fire well.
