Multiple Texas departments battled a fire that destroyed an 111-year-old courthouse overnight.
The fire broke out at around 10:15 p.m. Thursday at the historic Mason County Courthouse in Mason, KVUE-TV reports. Crews from the Mason Volunteer Fire Department responded to the call, and they were assisted by other area departments, including the Brady Fire Department.
Firefighters were able to control the fire by about 1 a.m. Friday, Mason County News reports. No injuries have been reported.
***MUTUAL AID STRUCTURE FIRE*** Brady Fire along with multiple VFD’s in the county are responding to Mason Co. for...
Posted by Brady Fire/EMS Department on Thursday, February 4, 2021
Mason County Judge Jerry Bearden told KVUE that an upcoming renovation had left the courthouse—which he called the "pride and joy of the town"—relatively empty when the fire erupted. County records already had been moved out, and only furniture remained inside the building.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but Bearden said he believes the circumstances surrounding it are suspicious.
"This is not a rich town," he said. We don’t have much, but the people who live here, we are going to see if we can find a way to rebuild."
