Courthouse Evacuation

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Muskingum County Courthouse surprised its occupants at 9:31 this morning with an automated fire alarm. 

The Sheriff’s department executed an orderly evacuation into single digit temperatures as the exact location of the fire was unknown.

“Once we arrived on scene, number one we go right to the fire panel and try to figure out what’s going on. There was a heat detector that had gone off in the bell tower,” Zanesville Fire Department Assistant Chief Doug Hobson said. “So, sent crews to the bell tower and investigated what’s going on. They did find the detector that had gone off. Possibly some steam in the bell tower had set it off, we’re not 100 percent sure. Actually the alarm company that is in charge of that is actually up there checking things out right now.” 

Hobson said that stations two and three were called to the scene for precaution and he thanked the sheriff’s office for the orderly re-entry back inside but he noted that better evacuation procedures will need to be addressed.