Old Bailey: Central Criminal Court in London evacuated after fire

About 1,500 people were evacuated from the Old Bailey and surrounding buildings in London after a fire.

Five separate explosions were heard at the rear of the Central Criminal Court at 10:30 GMT, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said, and black smoke was seen coming from the building.

A BBC reporter said all the lights flickered inside the courthouse and went out before a fire alarm went off.

Juries were sent home and defendants on remand were returned to prison.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC, the Recorder of London and most senior judge at the Old Bailey, told the BBC the building would remain closed on Thursday and emergency work was taking place.

An electrical substation in Warwick Lane was involved, according to the fire service.

Judges and barristers in black gowns and wigs, as well as jurors and court staff were seen standing outside the building waiting for updates - but were later told to return to court on Thursday.

Among the high-profile trials abandoned for the day was that of wealthy aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner, Mark Gordon, who are accused of the manslaughter of their newborn baby.

One defendant on trial was led to a prison van

Some defendants were seen being walked out of a side exit and into a waiting prison van, and were escorted by uniformed City of London Police officers.

The BBC was told there were no reported casualties.

UK Power Networks said the fire had affected power supplies in the area, which it was working to restore.

Judge Lucraft also told the BBC the fire was in a nearby electrical substation.

He added a decision on whether to reopen on Friday would be made on Thursday and contingency plans were being considered, such as the use of generators.

The BBC was told there were no reported casualties

BBC reporter Nick Johnson said there was an electrical humming noise before everything went black inside the courtroom, followed by an alarm that came over a sound system telling people to leave the building quickly.

'Proceedings postponed'

There was a smell of the smoke similar to when a lightbulb blows, he continued, adding all proceedings at the Old Bailey were immediately postponed.

A worker in an adjacent building told the BBC he heard rumbling before black smoke appeared.

Sarah, a member of the public who was in a court gallery, told BBC Radio London: "The lights started flickering, they flickered again and all of a sudden we heard, 'get out'."

She said there was a "rush" but the public were evacuated from the building "within a few minutes", adding: "I've never seen anything like it in my life."

Black smoke marks could be seen on a wall

Jeremy Britton, the BBC's Old Bailey producer, said "security is as important as safety" at the courts.

While the veteran court reporter is used to "dramatic scenes" at the Old Bailey, he said the evacuation was something he had "never seen in my 25 years here as a journalist".

Barristers and other court users were told by security officials they were not allowed back inside the Old Bailey until safety checks had been carried out.

The CBA, which represents barristers, later said juries had been sent home and confirmed that defendants in custody cells had "been returned to prison remand".

It said five explosions had come from one of two power plants supplying the court building "as trials began or barristers were in judges' chambers ahead of sitting".

"Smoke was then seen from the rear of the court building," it said.

Dozens of firefighters gathered by two fire engines near the Old Bailey

It added barristers were advised to return to court on Thursday "unless told otherwise".

London Fire Brigade earlier confirmed 1,500 people had been evacuated from the court and surrounding buildings and it sent 25 firefighters to the scene.

UK Power Networks said: "Engineers were called to Paternoster Square in London at 11:10 GMT after a fire was reported which has affected power supplies.

"We will work to restore supplies as quickly as is safely possible."

Additional reporting from PA Media.

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