UPDATE: Nelson Court, City Hall to resume normal operations following Monday evacuation
By Nelson Daily Staff
It should be business as usual Tuesday for court and municipal government offices following Monday’s evacuation.
Both facilities should re-open for business for regular hours following the evacuation Monday afternoon that closed both buildings and had police, fire and members of the BC Sheriff’s keeping the public away for most of the afternoon.
No information has been released by Nelson Police as to the reason for the evacuation.
However, people in the Court House at the time of the evacuation said the reason for the mass exodus was due to a bomb scare.
Nelson Court House, City Hall evacuated
Police evacuated the Nelson Court House Monday afternoon at approximately 1:30 p.m.
People that were inside the building said the evacuation, which later spread to City Hall and across Ward Street to Kootenay Insurance and Nelson and District Credit Union, was due to a bomb scare.
The sidewalks surrounding the Court House were closed to pedestrian traffic. RCMP, NPD police and reserves as well as Nelson Fire Department members monitored the sidewalks to keep people away.
Nelson Public works crews set up barricades to help stop the flow of pedestrian traffic.
It was not known for how long the Court House would be closed but police, firefighters and BC Sheriffs remained on the scene well into the evening.
The Nelson Daily will update this story when new information becomes available.
The court house evacuation comes three days after the Nelson and District Credit Union was robbed.
The two suspects involved in the robbery made a court appearance Monday morning in Nelson.
