Water leak at National Archives caused ceilings to collapse and led to discovery of asbestos

Report said fortunately much of the damage was cosmetic and no archival records were lost during the event. File picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

A major leak at the National Archives caused suspended ceilings to collapse, disturbed flooring, damaged document storage boxes on four different levels and led to the “concerning” discovery of asbestos in the building.

An internal report said the leak occurred after the valve on a high-pressure hose “perished”, leading to a steady flow of water that began to spread throughout the building.