Supreme Court building closed to clear out smoke

CARSON CITY -- The state Supreme Court building in the capital remained closed Monday after being evacuated Saturday because of a malfunctioning elevator.

The purpose of the closure was to clear out the smoke caused by the incident.

Extreme heat and smoke prevented maintenance workers from pinpointing the cause of the malfunction, but officials said they suspect that a seized-up pump overheated the hydraulic fluid that operates the elevator.

The smoke, traveling up the elevator shaft, quickly spread throughout the building.

Because of the emergency closure, Chief Justice Bill Maupin issued an order extending the deadline for filing documents that were due in the Supreme Court on Monday. Any document due to be filed Monday will be accepted as timely filed today.

There were only three staff people in the building when the event occurred, and no one was in the elevator at the time, court spokesman Bill Gang said. The building is not open to the public on weekends.

"There was smoke on all three floors," Gang said.

There was no fire.

No records were affected and there was no permanent damage, Gang said.