Fire damages historic Wayne County courthouse in Jesup

JESUP, Ga. (WTOC) - There was a fire at the historic Wayne County Courthouse in Jesup, Georgia, earlier today, September 26, 2025.

WTOC has spoken with the Mayor of Jesup, Ralph Hickox, who says the fire is now under control.

Officials say the fire started in the room right above the main courtroom, on the second floor where an electrical and maintenance room is.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Officials tell WTOC that after they got the fire in the Wayne County courthouse under control, they still spent at least three hours putting out hotspots that kept emerging.

City Manager Nick Ellis says people in the building noticed the lights flickering off before any sign of a fire.

“I believe there were some support security deputies inside as well,” Ellis said. “To my knowledge, everyone was able to be evacuated safely. I did speak to the magistrate Judge, Judge Gary Brown, and him and his staff noticed the power going out and they notice the smoke. They were able to exit the building.”

Mayor Hickox also posted a video to social media informing locals about the fire once “it looked like they got it out.”

Windows had to be blown through to shoot water into the building, the mayor says.

The Wayne County Courthouse is a historic building, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The extent of the fire damage to the historic Wayne County Courthouse is unknown at this time, but an image sent in by a WTOC viewer shows the damage to the clock:

WTOC has crews on the way to the scene and will provide updates as they become available.