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False fire alarm causes Horiguchi evacuation
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Posted on Jan 19 2006
Court staff members, federal prosecutors, and other occupants of the five-story Horiguchi Building in Garapan were evacuated yesterday morning from the building when a fire alarm activated. It turned out to be a false alarm.
The Saipan Tribune gathered that the alarm sounded at 10:38am from the third floor where there was an ongoing renovation of a portion of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jess San Nicolas, supervisor for the U.S. District Court security, said there was no panic and no one was injured as the occupants of the building evacuated safely using the emergency exits.
San Nicolas said when the alarm sounded, they immediately called the Department of Public Safety’s fire division and directed the occupants to evacuate.
The court’s security officers guided the people toward the front of the Kristo Rai Church and secured the building to prevent other persons from going inside.
At 10:43am a fire truck and a fire van arrived. Firefighters rushed to the third floor, but found neither smoke nor fire.
After checking the building, firefighters declared an “all clear” at 10:55am. The people were directed to return to their respective offices.
It was not clear yet what triggered the fire alarm. Fire investigators said the fire alarm would not activate unless somebody was smoking in the area or someone touched the wirings.
Investigators talked with the construction workers.
There was no hearing at that time in the U.S. District Court. Chief Judge Alex R. Munson is off-island.
Aside from the federal court and the clerk’s offices, the building houses the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Interior Department, U.S. Probation Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Horiguchi Office, Fuji Office, U.S. Marshal, and U.S. Coast Guard.
It was the first time that firefighters were called to check the building due to a fire alarm, a security officer said.
