The courthouse in New York City being used for former President Donald Trump‘s $250 million fraud case was evacuated for a short time on Wednesday after a person set papers on fire and quickly extinguished them.
The incident was not related to the Trump case, a source told ABC News, and happened hours after testimony in the fraud case had wrapped up for the day.
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Three floors of the courthouse were briefly evacuated, and 17 people had minor injuries, a court spokesman told the outlet. There were no serious injuries.
“Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 4:15 pm today, an individual depressed a fire-extinguisher on the fourth floor at 60 Centre Street to douse a fire he had set to papers,” court spokesman Al Baker said in a statement on Wednesday. “The New York Fire Department responded. Three floors of the courthouse were evacuated. There are no serious injuries reported. The incident is being investigated and the individual is in custody.”
The Associated Press reported that the small fire had caused a visible haze in the stairwell between the third and fourth floors.
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The $250 million fraud case was brought against the Trump Organization by New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2022, with Judge Arthur Engoron already finding Trump liable for the fraud claims. The nonjury trial has continued to examine six claims brought by James and is expected to conclude this month.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the court for comment.
