Fire closes Nassau County courthouse in Hempstead, causes power outages
The fire broke out at approximately 5 p.m. Tuesday in an underground electrical vault adjacent to the courthouse on Main Street, according to officials.
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The Nassau County Courthouse in Hempstead is closed Wednesday after a fire in an underground electrical vault damaged infrastructure and left portions of the area without power.
The fire broke out at approximately 5 p.m. Tuesday in an underground electrical vault adjacent to the courthouse on Main Street, according to officials. Although heavy smoke was reported, authorities said neither the smoke nor the flames entered the courthouse building.
No injuries were reported.
Crews from PSEG Long Island were at the courthouse Wednesday working to restore electricity after power was shut off as a result of the fire. The outage continued to affect about 66 customers, including Hempstead Town Hall, which canceled all but essential services because of the loss of power.
Officials said firefighters faced difficult conditions while battling the blaze because it involved high-voltage electrical equipment in a confined underground space.
"The fire broke out and we're talking high-voltage electric that ran through this underground vault, which is very difficult to access," Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro said.
People with scheduled court appearances in Hempstead have been directed to report instead to the Nassau County Courthouse at 262 Old Country Rd. in Mineola.
Officials have not announced when the Hempstead courthouse will reopen.
