El Paso County Courthouse fire prompts evacuation, closure

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- On Monday, the employees at the El Paso County Courthouse downtown had to evacuate because of a fire, according to the El Paso Fire Department. The courthouse is closed for the rest of the day.

EPFD said employees received a text to evacuate the building Monday morning. The department said it received reports of smoke on the 13th floor just after 9 a.m.

"The fire was contained to a transformer that was controlling one of the elevators," said EPFD Battalion Chief Jesus Salmeron. "All the other elevators are operable, but we also have the stairwells that people were able to use when they evacuated the building."

El Paso County said those in the building evacuated because of the heavy smoke.

EPFD said 200 people were evacuated from the building. It said no injuries were reported.

The courthouse will stay closed for the rest of the day, according to an EPFD spokesperson.

Early voting started in Texas Monday. The El Paso County Elections Department said early voters can cast their ballots at the El Paso Senior Center (600 S. Ochoa St.), which is the closest alternative to the courthouse.

Monday's El Paso County Commissioners Court meeting was also cancelled because of the fire, according to the county. The court will resume its business at its next meeting on Oct. 26.