Aerial view of the National Library after its fire with firefighters still working

The early morning of May 10, 1943 witnessed one of the most ominous episodes in the history of Peruvian culture: the National Library was on fire.
After the hard work of the firefighters during the early morning, at dawn the incident seemed finally under control. However, the flames tried to reignite near the Church of San Pedro, a threat that the firefighters managed to control. To avoid further dangers, some fire companies stood guard during the day, taking shifts.