A surprising turn of events, Justice Arthur Engoron, overseeing the civil fraud case involving Donald Trump, had to evacuate the court following a small fire just four hours after the ex-president’s testimony.
Engoron, keen on protecting his staff, had previously used gag orders to shield them from potential attacks by Trump supporters. Despite Trump’s continued appeals against these orders, a recent incident unfolded with a fire, as reported by Business Insider.
After the civil fraud trial against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization concluded, chaos erupted in the lower Manhattan courthouse. Papers were set on fire, and multiple fire extinguishers were discharged on the same floor as the courtroom, stated the report on Wednesday. Justice Arthur Engoron was safely escorted out of the courthouse upon hearing shouting on the floor.
According to courthouse officials, the evacuation resulted from an unidentified man igniting paperwork and deploying multiple fire extinguishers. The man, not a courthouse employee, was promptly arrested.
Fire and police responders quickly managed the situation, allowing the judge and other fourth-floor employees to retrieve their belongings before leaving for the day around 5 p.m. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident.
The report concludes by noting the uncertainty surrounding the man’s motive for setting the fire.
