Courthouse closed after employee exposure to chemical

LAWTON – The Comanche County Courthouse closed to the public Thursday after an employee working in the basement was exposed to an unknown chemical that triggered a medical response.

The employee was sent to the emergency room, and the courthouse was evacuated until the Lawton Fire Department’s hazmat team and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics can determine what chemical he was exposed to, and whether it poses a threat to other courthouse employees, Comanche County Emergency Management said in a news release.

The employee’s status is unknown at this time, and Emergency Management officials are asking people to avoid the courthouse until further notice.