Fire at El Paso County Courthouse parking garage sends smoke billowing into downtown sky; no injuries
EL PASO, Texas -- A car caught fire Thursday morning on an upper floor of the parking garage across the street from the El Paso County courthouse, sending heavy smoke billowing into the air and prompting the evacuation of people from the garage.
The fire broke out about 10:10 a.m. and was put out by 10:50 a.m., fire officials said. There were no injuries.
The fire, which happened on the fifth floor of the garage, was contained to just the one car where it started. What ignited the fire was not immediately known, officials said.
When the fire broke out, there were 11 El Paso fire units dispatched to the garage in the 500 block of E. Overland, which sits just south of the courthouse.
Before the fire was contained, smoke could be seen in the downtown sky over the garage area.
Courthouse employees were notified Thursday evening that due to the fire, parking would only be allowed Friday on the first four floors of the garage.
