Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On August 25, 2025, Ghent University’s rectorate archives were severely damaged by drilling during the construction of a new bicycle parking. Archivist Isabel Rotthier reported that water and mud ruined documents, filing cabinets, and historical records.
As VRT News reported, Ghent University faced a major problem yesterday morning, Aug 25, 2025, in the rectorate archives due to drilling during construction work for a new bicycle parking facility. The project, which involves deep underground excavation, accidentally caused severe damage to 2 archive depots.
Isabel Rotthier from the university archives said a drill pierced the wall of the rectorate and then passed entirely through the first depot. It continued into the wall of a second depot, stopping about 5 meters further inside. While moving through the walls, the drill carried water and mud into the archives. The contamination reached shelves and storage areas, affecting documents and archival materials.
“We immediately called in the university architects. They halted the work. And then we assessed the damage,”
says Isabel Rotthier of the archives.
What caused severe damage to Ghent University archives during bike parking works?
The drill holes in Ghent University’s rectorate archives were only about 10 centimetres wide, but the water and mud that followed caused major damage. Several metal filing cabinets were completely bent and twisted.
The water and mud did not stop at the first 2 depots. It spread into a 3rd depot, the university reading room, and even the offices. Officials estimate that the flood travelled about 1 kilometre, leaving a trail of destruction. Many documents are completely soaked, including historical plans of the university, which are considered irreplaceable.
“We were quick to save as much as possible. In no time, 30 employees were here to help clear mud and carry out filing cabinets,”
4says Isabel Rotthier of the archives
The wet documents have been handed to a specialised conservation company. They will use freeze-drying techniques to try to restore the papers. Archivists say they hope some documents can still be saved, but the full extent of the damage is not yet known.
The project began in June 2025 and aims to create nearly 1,000 bicycle spaces. The rectorate archives, which hold the records documenting the university’s history since its founding in 1816, were severely damaged when a drill accidentally pierced the walls.
In Belgium, several archives have faced damage in recent years. In 1998, a fire at the State Archives in Arlon destroyed thousands of judicial files. In 2017, water leakage at the State Archives in Namur damaged part of the collection, forcing emergency conservation work.
