Story perspectives
Firefighters Rescue 400 Rare Books from Landslide Threat
2/27/2026
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Story summary
- About 400 rare books were rescued from a library in Niscemi, Sicily, as firefighters secured the site threatened by a landslide that began January 25.
- The library holds around 4,000 books and sits on the edge of a chasm from the landslide.
- Recovery teams planned the operation and used drones and sensors to monitor the situation.
- Salvatore Cantale, provincial fire commander, described the operation as akin to a bank heist.
