London's Old Bailey court is evacuated after a nearby electrical fire

London’s famous criminal courthouse was evacuated after an electrical fire that sparked a loud bang in a nearby substation

LONDON -- London's famous criminal courthouse known as the Old Bailey was evacuated Wednesday after an electrical fire sparked a loud bang in a nearby substation, knocking out power to the courtrooms and sending black smoke billowing into the streets.

Lawyers in their black robes and wigs milled about on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse as about 1,500 people were evacuated from the Central Criminal Court. Defendants in custody were escorted to vans to return to jail.

There were no injuries but the courthouse was expected to remain closed Thursday for repairs.

The London Fire Brigade said it extinguished the fire in a ground floor electrical substation in a building behind the courthouse in the central part of the city.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.