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Floyd County, Georgia, leaders are discussing their emergency plan after Monday\u2019s fire damaged the historical courthouse. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you live in a small town like Rome and then when something burns up like that, that’s the first thing you think about: there goes part of our heritage,\u201d says resident Linda Langley, who\u2019s lived in Rome her entire life and could be seen standing behind yellow caution tape watching crews fight the flames.<\/p>\n
The Historic Floyd County Courthouse has been an integral part of this small town since 1892. But within moments, more than a century\u2019s worth of history was destroyed after a fire broke out early Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey reported heavy smoke and fire conditions coming from the roof upon arrival and immediately sounded the second alarm,\u201d says Rome-Floyd Fire Chief Jamie Stone.<\/p>\n
Stone says the fire started in the attic and burned all the way down to the third, second, and first floors, causing significant damage.<\/p>\n
Crews battled the flames for hours, but the building’s condition and weather were no match.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe building is old, and it burned very hot and fast,\u201d Stone says. \u201cThe wood is very dry, so we had wind-driven fire through the attic, and it also affected our hose streams, so we were having to relocate and fight against the wind in order to reach the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says another big challenge crews faced was the location of the courthouse.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was when we realized we had to go into defensive operations, and we started looking at exposure, which are vehicles and other structures in the area,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
While all surrounding businesses and an additional courthouse no more than 20 feet away were spared damage, the fire didn\u2019t stop blazing for hours.<\/p>\n
Eventually, the very top of the building collapsed, and officials declared the structure a complete loss.<\/p>\n
Many say they\u2019re heartbroken over the unexpected events.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes you wonder what the first people in that courtroom dressed like or looked like,\u201d Langley says. \u201cIt’s just something that is gone now forever, and people will never be able to go back through there and see it now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thankfully, as far as lost records go, McCord says, while they might have lost some paper records from the last week, he says most have been digitized and backed up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m confident we\u2019ll have everything we need, and hopefully we can get them relocated across the street pretty quickly,\u201d McCord says.<\/p>\n
The Floyd County Commission will consider emergency funding to relocate government operations from the courthouse, and McCord says services will continue online while plans are made for a temporary location.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve obviously got some housekeeping to do,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Most are just thankful the city of Rome is safe and sound.<\/p>\n
\u201cBuildings can be rebuilt, but people can\u2019t be replaced,\u201d McCord says. \u201cThe good thing is that everybody got out safely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Others, like Langley, are even finding light in the darkness.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can see the parts that have already fallen in,\u201d she says, pointing to what was once the highest point of the structure. \u201cThe top part of it is probably going to go too, but the flags are still standing. That should tell everybody something.\u201d<\/p>\n
PREVIOUS STORY:\u00a0The courts in Floyd County, Georgia, are temporarily shutting down after a major fire damaged the historic courthouse on Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Officials say the fire has made the building unsafe to use and is preventing normal court operations. Because of this, a judicial emergency has been declared.<\/p>\n
The courthouse will be closed on Tuesday, March 24, and is expected to reopen on Wednesday, March 25, unless officials decide more time is needed.<\/p>\n
All court hearings, both civil and criminal, are postponed until further notice. Deadlines for filing paperwork or meeting court requirements are also on hold until at least March 25.<\/p>\n
Officials say these steps are necessary to make sure the building is safe and to avoid disrupting access to the court system.<\/p>\n
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Floyd Co. Govt.<\/p>\n
Notices about the closure will be posted on the courthouse doors and online. Judges, clerks, and other court officials across the state are also being notified.<\/p>\n
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Floyd Co. Govt.<\/p>\n
Anyone dealing with a court-related emergency can contact the Chief Judge\u2019s office at 706-291-5121 or the Floyd County Sheriff\u2019s Office at 706-291-4111.<\/p>\n
PREVIOUS STORY:\u00a0The Floyd County Commission will consider emergency funding to relocate government operations after the Historic Floyd County Courthouse was destroyed by a fire on Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n
The building, constructed in 1892, housed the offices of the Tax Commissioner, Tax Assessor, and Tag Office. County Manager Jamie McCord said all employees were safely evacuated after the fire was reported at 2:12pm, with supervisors conducting a roll call once outside.<\/p>\n
Fire crews with the Rome-Floyd County Fire Department worked for hours to extinguish the fire as smoke and ash spread across downtown Rome. Law enforcement agencies, including the Rome Police Department, Floyd County Police Department, Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia State Patrol, secured the area.<\/p>\n
Commission Chair Rhonda Wallace praised first responders for their swift actions, crediting them with protecting lives and surrounding property.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are so thankful for the quick response and hard work of all of our first responders,\u201d said Wallace. \u201cFrom the first report of smoke by a facilities employee and their work to evacuate the building, to our 911 operators who took the calls and our law enforcement who protected the people on the ground, we thank you. And, to our\u00a0Rome-Floyd Fire Department<\/a>, we cannot begin to express our thanks for the preservation of life and adjoining property by your quick and professional action. It truly takes a team and we are so proud of ours.\u201d<\/p>\n The courthouse was undergoing renovations funded through SPLOST and ARPA at the time of the fire. The cause remains under investigation.<\/p>\n County officials say services will continue online while plans are made for a temporary location. Residents can pay property taxes and renew tag registrations at the\u00a0Floyd County Tax Office online.<\/a>\u00a0The Tax Assessor\u2019s Office will also operate\u00a0virtually<\/a>, allowing residents to file exemptions, tax returns, and address changes online or by phone.<\/p>\n PREVIOUS STORY: The Floyd County Historic Courthouse in Rome, Georgia, caught fire on Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n Floyd County Government\u2019s Facebook page said the fire was discovered around 2:20pm on March 23.<\/p>\n All employees inside the building were safely evacuated, according to Floyd County Manager Jamie McCord.<\/p>\n As of just before 3:00pm, Rome-Floyd County firefighters were on scene fighting the blaze.<\/p>\n Roads around the building in Downtown Rome are blocked Monday afternoon and police evacuated portions of Broad Street.<\/p>\n The cause of the fire is currently unknown and under investigation, but the courthouse was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire.<\/p>\n The Floyd County Courthouse was built in 1892. According to the City of Rome, Georgia\u2019s website, the building \u201cshowcases Romanesque Revival architecture with distinctive terra cotta grotesques on its facade.\u201d It is currently used as the Floyd County Tax Commissioner\u2019s office.<\/p>\n