NYC courthouse evacuated due to basement fire

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Hundreds of people have been evacuated from a New York City courthouse because of a smoky basement fire.

Courts spokesman David Bookstaver says it apparently started in a wooden contractor's shed.

The building in Lower Manhattan was evacuated at around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

A woman was helped outside with an oxygen mask over her face. Her arms were around court officers' shoulders.

The lobby was filled with a haze. A light plume of yellow-brown smoke could be see near the roof.

In addition to courtrooms for criminal proceedings, the building houses offices for prosecutors and other government entities.