On Aug. 4 at 5:25 a.m. the Lancaster Fire Department, located in Lancaster South Carolina received an alarm of a working structure fire inside a multi-story 180 year old court house.
Units arrived to find heavy smoke and fire conditions in the attic area of the structure. The courthouse's architect, Robert Mills, also designed the Lancaster County Jail and is perhaps best known for the Washington Monument.
The fire was brought under control at 7:30 a.m. Units from Lancaster County Fire Service assisted with extinguishment efforts. Lancaster County E.M.S and Lancaster County Red Cross provided firefighters with rehab demands due to extreme temperature conditions that were forecast for the day. Investigation found that structured had signs of forced entry and that arsonist had set fire to the original judges bench causing fire extension upward into the attic area.
The structure is listed on the Federal Register of historic structures. Lancaster County officials state that the structure was insured and will be rebuilt to its original condition. Architects were on the scene by mid day to evaluate damages and plan for repairs. No injuries were reported by local officials.
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