'Explosions' at Old Bailey as smoke billows from windows & fire crews scramble to the scene | E7HAP4B | 2024-02-08 06:08:01
Defendants have been walked out of the legal court and right into a Serco van an hour aft
SMOKE billowed from home windows behind the Previous Bailey this morning after a "collection of explosions" went on for 10 minutes.
Defendants have been walked out of the legal court and right into a Serco van an hour after the hearth started in central London shortly before 11am.
The Old Bailey was evacuated and power cuts have been reported in nearby buildings.
Trials have been derailed after lights went off in the courtroom rooms following a fireplace, suspected to be an electrical fault.
Warwick Lane smelt of heavy smoke as firefighters raced to the scene.
Lights started flickering at round 10.40am for about half a minute before all of them went out within the building, leaving counsel, defendants, judges and press in darkness.
A tannoy system then informed everyone to right away evacuate because of a fireplace alarm and out of doors safety shouted for everybody to get away from the constructing.
By 12.30pm defendants including Mark Gordon have been walked out of the Previous Bailey and into a Serco van to be driven to Belmarsh.
He was making an attempt to cover his face as he walked out.
Often defendants are pushed out of a tunnel as an alternative of being walked out onto the road.
London Hearth Brigade stated in a press release: "Firefighters are presently responding to stories of smoke coming from a building on Warwick Lane."
Recorder of London Decide Mark Lucraft, who is presiding over Constance Marten and Mark Gordon's trial, informed The Solar he believes the substation has gone.
He stated: "What most of us heard was a loud bang and a few black billowing smoke.
"Power went off in the building. So far as I'm aware it's the sub station situated in the Previous Bailey constructing.
"We are waiting for UK energy to return and see before the hearth brigade can go in. They have contained it."
Decide Lucraft added it's unclear what is occurring to the defendants in the mean time but there can be preparations in place.
A witness wrote on X: "Collection of explosions heard from building next to Previous Bailey for about 10 minutes earlier than smoke emerges.
"Many buildings seem to have suffered power cuts."
A& BBC& journalist at the scene tweeted: "Black acrid smoke coming from rear of Central Legal Courtroom, Previous Bailey – lights flickered inside earlier than it was evacuated – firefighter says hearth in section of building where electrical substation sits."
T/Chief Inspector Tom Fisher, Metropolis of London Police, stated: "We have been made aware of an incident on the Previous Bailey at round 11am.
"Warwick Lane is presently closed and we are working with London Hearth Brigade who're in attendance.
"There isn't a indication at this stage that that is something aside from an incident involving an electrical sub station.
"London Hearth Brigade reported that round 1,500 individuals have been evacuated from the Previous Bailey and surrounding space."
A UK Energy Networks spokesperson stated: "UK Power Networks engineers have been referred to as to Paternoster Square in London at 11.10am after a fireplace was reported which has affected energy supplies.
"We'll work to restore supplies as shortly as is safely potential."
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