Fire shuts down Milwaukee County courthouse

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee County Courthouse and Public Safety Building will be closed Monday and Tuesday after a weekend fire that caused more than a half-million dollars of damage.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the fire started Saturday afternoon in a large basement utility room with numerous electrical systems inside. It caused a power failure for a portion of downtown, including the responding fire station, which used a generator to open its garage doors and send trucks.

All court cases and jury duty for Monday and Tuesday have been postponed. 911 calls are being fielded by dispatchers at the Waukesha County communications center. Employees who work at the building are being told not to report unless told otherwise by a manager.