Old Bailey: London court evacuated after fire breaks out

Media caption, Watch: Old Bailey evacuated after fire breaks out

By Liz Jackson, James W Kelly, Harry Low & PA Media

BBC News

About 1,500 people have been evacuated from the Old Bailey and surrounding buildings in London after a fire.

Five separate explosions were heard at the rear of the Central Criminal Court at 10:30 GMT, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said, and black smoke was seen coming from the building.

A BBC reporter said all the lights had flickered inside the courthouse and went out before a fire alarm went off.

Juries were sent home and defendants on remand were returned to prison.

An electrical substation on Warwick Lane was involved, according to the fire service.

Judges and barristers in black gowns and wigs, as well as jurors and court staff could be seen standing outside the building waiting for updates – but were later told to return to court on Thursday.

Among the high-profile trials abandoned for the day was that of wealthy aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner, Mark Gordon, who are accused of the manslaughter of their newborn baby.

Image source, Daniel Sandford/BBC

Image caption, One defendant on trial was led to a prison van

Some defendants could be seen being walked out of a side exit and into a waiting prison van, and were escorted by uniformed City of London Police officers.

The BBC has been told there are so far no reported casualties.

UK Power Networks said the fire had affected power supplies in the area, which it was working to restore.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC, the Recorder of London and most senior judge at the Old Bailey, also told the BBC the fire was in a nearby electrical substation.

Image caption, Security officials said court users would be allowed back inside after safety checks had been carried out

BBC reporter Nick Johnson said there was an electrical humming noise before everything went black inside the courtroom, followed by an alarm that came over a sound system telling people to leave the building quickly.

‘Proceedings postponed’

There was a smell of the smoke similar to when a lightbulb blows, he continued, adding all proceedings at the Old Bailey were immediately postponed.

A worker in an adjacent building told the BBC he heard rumbling before black smoke appeared.

Sarah, a member of the public who was in a court gallery, told BBC Radio London: “The lights started flickering, they flickered again and all of a sudden we heard, ‘get out’.”

She said there was a “rush” but the public were evacuated from the building “within a few minutes”, adding: “I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”

Image caption, Black smoke marks can be seen on a wall

Jeremy Britton, the BBC’s Old Bailey producer, said “security is as important as safety” at the courts.

While the veteran court reporter is used to “dramatic scenes” at the Old Bailey, he said the evacuation was something he had “never seen in my 25 years here as a journalist”.

Barristers and other court users were told by security officials they would not be allowed back inside the Old Bailey until safety checks had been carried out.

The CBA, which represents barristers, later said juries had been sent home and confirmed that defendants in custody cells had “been returned to prison remand”.

It said five explosions had come from one of two power plants supplying the court building “as trials began or barristers were in judges’ chambers ahead of sitting”.

“Smoke was then seen from the rear of the court building,” it said.

Image caption, Dozens of firefighters gathered by two fire engines near the Old Bailey

It added barristers had been advised to return to court on Thursday “unless told otherwise”.

London Fire Brigade confirmed 1,500 people had been evacuated from the court and surrounding buildings and it had sent 25 firefighters to the scene.

It advised people to avoid the area and said traffic was likely to be affected.

UK Power Networks said: “Engineers were called to Paternoster Square in London at 11.10 GMT after a fire was reported which has affected power supplies.

“We will work to restore supplies as quickly as is safely possible.”

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