SOUTHAMPTON Combined Court Centre had to be evacuated when fire broke out in the bailiffs' room. The cause is being investigated, but it is believed to have been an electrical fault.
Court customer services manager David Putley spotted smoke inside the locked ground floor room at 4pm yesterday and raised the alarm.
About 100 people - including lawyers, judges, defendants, the public and court staff - were evacuated.
Four fire crews raced to the London Road building and quickly extinguished the blaze.
St Mary's Station Commander Colin Millar said: "Management staff smelled smoke and discovered a fire in the bailiffs' room. They saw a serious fire in progress through the window of the door that had been smouldering for a quite while."
Everyone was evacuated safely. The fire seriously damaged the room but was prevented from spreading.
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