Thick smoke rolled over downtown Rome on Monday afternoon as flames tore through the city’s historic Floyd County Courthouse, triggering a rapid evacuation and pulling firefighters and police into an all-hands emergency response.
Officials on scene
Rome police described the courthouse as “fully engulfed” and urged the public to steer clear of 5th Avenue at Tribune and Government Plaza, according to WSB‑TV. News Chopper 2 and Channel 2 Action News crews were reported to be heading to the scene for live coverage as the fire continued to burn.
Building was under renovation
The courthouse was already a construction zone before it became a fire scene. The building had been undergoing exterior renovations funded by SPLOST and ARPA and was listed as “Approved and Under Construction,” with crews working on brick and gutter repairs in early March, per Floyd County. Officials had not released a cause of the fire or an estimate of the damage as crews focused on putting out the flames and keeping people safe.
Crews fight flames; downtown impact
Rome‑Floyd fire crews and police worked to corral the blaze while officers evacuated nearby offices and redirected traffic around the area, with several downtown blocks shut down during the response, WSB‑TV reported. There were no immediate official updates on injuries.
What’s next
County documents show the courthouse houses several county services, and any significant damage could disrupt court schedules and broader downtown operations, the county’s project page indicates. Residents are being urged to keep an eye on local news outlets and official county channels for updates as authorities assess the damage and figure out what comes next for the building and the services it hosts.
