Smoke coming from the public defender’s office on the third floor of the Santa Barbara County Courthouse caused quite a commotion just after 5 p.m. Tuesday. As a crowd watched along the 1100 block of Anacapa Street, firefighters swarmed to the iconic structure.
According to a posting on the Santa Barbara Fire Department’s Facebook page, six engine companies, a ladder truck and a battalion chief were dispatched to the scene. The county Fire Department sent a ladder truck to assist, as well.
Firefighters determined the smoke was from a small electrical fire in an electrical room above the public defender’s office, officials said. The fire was extinguished and the building was ventilated.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation. There were no injuries, and a damage estimate has not been released.
Authorities closed Anacapa Street between Anapamu and Figueroa streets, snarling evening commuter traffic in the area.
— Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen can be reached at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk.
