UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) -- Firefighters who responded to a wind-blown blaze at a 19th-century courthouse decided to protect a modern courthouse next door by letting flames gut the older building Wednesday morning.
``Firefighting crews took a defensive posture from the beginning to protect the new courthouse,'' said Marc Bashoor, a Prince George's County fire department commander.
Officials said they wanted to protect the county's court system, as well as criminal and land records and other documents kept in the newer building since 1991.
More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze for more than 90 minutes. They stopped the flames from moving beyond a series of connecting corridors that joined the two buildings.
The fire broke out on the roof of the three-story red-brick courthouse, which had been undergoing a $27 million renovation. Hose taps and sprinklers in the unoccupied building had been disconnected by workers.
Wind gusts of more than 20 mph whipped flames that were fed by construction materials in the building. Several layers of roofing and old plaster and lathe walls also slowed firefighters' efforts to reach flames inside the building.
Construction workers in the old courthouse escaped without injury. Prince George's sheriff's department deputies ordered all workers and visitors out of the adjacent building.
Court proceedings were canceled for the day and employees were sent home. Some were unable to immediately get their cars from a nearby garage, which was blocked by emergency equipment.
Old files and historical paintings stored had been removed from the courthouse. Employees had been expecting to move back into the renovated section of the courthouse in mid-January, county officials said.
``We will rebuild this building,'' said County Executive Jack Johnson.
The dome-shaped cupola that had adorned the 151,000 square-foot building since its completion in 1881 was badly charred. A bell that signaled the daily opening of court fell from its heavily damaged tower.
Johnson said he planned to meet with Gov. Robert Erhlich to discuss the loss. A courthouse has operated on the site continuously since 1720.
The fire was described as ``a heartbreaking loss'' of 300 years of history, by court personnel.
``I've spent my entire adult life working in this building,'' said Circuit Court Judge C. Philip Nichols Jr., who began his career as a lawyer at the courthouse in 1972.
If court operations can't be resumed in the undamaged wing within 24 hours, temporary space will have to be located. Prosecutors were trying to determine when they would have access to files on pending cases, said county State's Attorney Glenn Ivey.
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