Circuit Court Evacuated, Other Buildings Lose Power

The Howard County Circuit Court building was evacuated at about 2 p.m. Monday after a power outage and subsequent electrical malfunction caused a generator to overheat, filling a courtroom with smoke, according to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.

The evacuation was one of three incidents at County offices Monday, according to HCDFRS Fire Chief William Goddard.

Malfunctions also affected the and the building, where an elevator motor overheated, briefly stranding one person in an elevator, Goddard said. 

By about 2:15 p.m., there was “no more hazardous situation,” at the Circuit Court, Goddard said, but the building remained evacuated while crews brought in fans to air out Courtroom 1.

In all, about 100 customers lost power after a problem with a power line along Court House Drive, according to BGE Spokeswoman Rachael Lighty. The problem area had been located by about 3 p.m. and was in the process of being repaired, she said.