Nina Gallegos
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — On Monday, the employees at the El Paso County Courthouse downtown had to evacuate because of a fire, according to the El Paso Fire Department. The courthouse is closed for the rest of the day.
The El Paso Fire Department said a fire prompted an evacuation at the Downtown El Paso County Courthouse on Oct. 19, 2026.(Courtesy: KVIA)
EPFD said employees received a text to evacuate the building Monday morning. The department said it received reports of smoke on the 13th floor just after 9 a.m.
“The fire was contained to a transformer that was controlling one of the elevators,” said EPFD Battalion Chief Jesus Salmeron. “All the other elevators are operable, but we also have the stairwells that people were able to use when they evacuated the building.”
El Paso County said those in the building evacuated because of the heavy smoke.
EPFD said 200 people were evacuated from the building. It said no injuries were reported.
The courthouse will stay closed for the rest of the day, according to an EPFD spokesperson.
Early voting started in Texas Monday. The El Paso County Elections Department said early voters can cast their ballots at the El Paso Senior Center (600 S. Ochoa St.), which is the closest alternative to the courthouse.
Monday’s El Paso County Commissioners Court meeting was also cancelled because of the fire, according to the county. The court will resume its business at its next meeting on Oct. 26.
A county spokesperson said the courthouse is expected to reopen Tuesday.
The sudden, all-day shutdown left dozens of people stranded on the sidewalk outside, waiting for instructions on how to handle urgent legal matters, hearings, and official documents.
Among those caught in the confusion was Ricky Ramirez, a college student who had to miss critical coursework to resolve a fishing fine ticket.
“My schedule is really tight, especially for a college student,” Ramirez said. “It would be a hassle because I had to skip three classes today to be here. And as an engineering student, that is quite a lot.”
Ramirez noted the importance of the facility, though he felt powerless given the unexpected emergency.
“At the same time, it’s like, what can I do about that?” he added. “You know, the courthouse is a very important building, as my brother was saying.”
For Ramirez and many first-time court visitors, the complete lack of immediate updates created anxiety over potential legal penalties.
“Right now we should be in there either talking to the judge or waiting for our turn,” Ramirez said. “And if we don’t get an update, how are we going to know what to do, how to progress with this?”
He explained that missing a scheduled court appearance usually carries severe consequences.
“We were told that if we don’t show up, we could be fined or even potentially go to jail for it,” he noted. “So that’s the case—I don’t want to go to jail over something that wasn’t my fault.”
Navigating the court system without guidance proved particularly stressful for those unfamiliar with legal procedures.
“Guidance is very necessary for our situations, especially because it’s our first time doing any of this,” Ramirez said. “So we have no idea how any of this works.”
Ramirez was far from the only person left in limbo. Crowds of confused employees, interns, and members of the public remained outside waiting for answers throughout the afternoon:
Legal Proceedings: One visitor who showed up for a DUI court date expressed frustration after taking off work, only to miss his appearance without being told how to proceed.
Vital Statistics & Jury Duty: Others gathered outside waiting to pick up birth certificates or report for jury duty summonses.
Many reported waiting outside for hours before realizing the courthouse would remain closed for the full day.
Early Voting Relocated; Meetings Canceled
The closure coincided with the first day of early voting in Texas. Even into the late afternoon, as ABC-7 was reporting live at 4:00 and 5:00, voters continued arriving at the courthouse, unaware that the facility was closed.
To accommodate voters, the El Paso County Elections Department redirected early voters to the El Paso Senior Center (600 S. Ochoa St.), which served as the closest primary alternative location.
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The U.S. Navy Blue Angels last performed in El Paso in 2011. ABC-7 photographer Armando Ramirez took the picture above when he was 11 years old.(Courtesy: Armando Ramirez, KVIA)
(Courtesy: TxDOT El Paso via X)
