Coral Gables Courthouse To Remain Closed All Week

CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) – The Coral Gables Courthouse will remain closed through Friday , pending notice from Miami-Dade County General Services Administration that the courthouse is cleared for re-occupancy.

The problem at the courthouse started last Thursday afternoon when employees inside the building started feeling sick. Seven were taken to area hospitals and more than 30 others were evacuated, according to Coral Gables fire rescue officials.  The following day all court and clerk operations at the Courthouse, located at 3100 Ponce De Leon Boulevard, were suspended as a "precautionary measure."

Hearings are being re-scheduled at alternate locations as soon as possible and all parties will be notified as to any changes.

"This is a precautionary measure to protect the public and all personnel who work in the building, and to make the building available to the County for any follow-up testing they may need to do on Friday," said Chief Judge Joel H. Brown.

It's unclear what caused the widespread illness, but the building was fumigated for termites on Oct. 8, according to Coral Gables Division Chief Hope Gibbs.

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