A water leak flooded the Escambia County Courthouse Friday morning.

Crews are now working to clear nearly half-an-inch of water from the north side of the courthouse after employees discovered the leak just before 8 a.m., County Administrator Tony Sanks said.

“What it looks like is the HVAC system, which is water-based, sprung a leak,” Sanks said. “Those pipes run between the floor and walls. Water is covering about half of the courthouse on the middle floor.”

Sanks said the area most impacted is the circuit clerk’s office, which houses vital court-related records.

Circuit Clerk John Robert Fountain and his staff are now working to remove records and equipment from the office area.

“We also have some ceiling tiles falling in and other areas of safety concerns,” Sanks said. “As such, we have closed the courthouse today out of the safety of our employees and citizens.”

Friday’s court proceedings will be rescheduled for a later date.

The Brewton Standard will update this story as new details become available. To view a photo gallery of the damage, click here.