(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – Remediation and repairs are progressing in the County Courthouse following the fire on January 18. On Wednesday, February 5, Commissioners approved an emergency Resolution which allowed staff to work with on-call contractors to do the work rather than using a competitive bid process.

Currently, staff are conservatively estimating $750,000 in damages for an insurance claim. Invoices from on-call contractors have not yet been submitted to give a final amount.

Photos of the damage on the fourth floor are attached.

The fire on the fourth floor of the Sedgwick County Courthouse was due to an electrical short. 

The fire was reported around 9:45 a.m. on January 18. There were no injuries. Wichita Fire Department arrived on scene, and located and extinguished the fire within 30 minutes. The building was minimally occupied at the time of the fire.

The fourth floor houses the 18th Judicial District Family Law Self-Help Center as well as Family Law Courts.

-end-