The downtown Baltimore Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse will remain closed into next week as city workers continue to repair damaged caused by a fire in its basement, the judiciary said Friday.
It's unclear when the building, which houses one half of the Baltimore Circuit Court, will reopen, but a court spokeswoman said officials hope it will be by the end of the week.
The city's Department of General Services has been working to repair smoke damage and restore power to the building, but the judiciary said in a statement that additional work needs to be done. In the meantime, the court's functions are being carried out across the street at the Courthouse East building.
"The work of DGS and its contractors in effecting the restoration of the Mitchell Courthouse has been truly extraordinary, and we are grateful for their recognition of the crucial nature of this task," Administrative Judge W. Michel Pierson said in a statement.
"I also commend the performance of the court's personnel — judges, clerks and staff; their dedication and flexibility has enabled the court to continue to conduct proceedings and provide services with minimal disruption to operations while many of our essential facilities are unavailable. We are also grateful to jurors and other participants in the judicial process for their patience."
The fire broke out on April 26, burning up an electrial room in the basement and sending smoke billowing through all six floors of the building.
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