The Chatham County courthouse will be almost completely destroyed by a fire that began around 4:30, officials and witnesses say.
Fire departments have arrived at the scene from near and far. A cause has not been determined, Pittsboro mayor Randolph Voller said.
"Someone messed up," he said.
The courthouse, which is located centrally in Pittsboro, was being renovated. It has been the site of recent hearings involving John Edwards' mistress Rielle Hunter and former aide Andrew Young.
District Attorney Jim Woodall said all workers got out of the building safely, but that the combination of fire and hoses may have destroyed all of the computers and information on the computers.
UNC alumna Kelly Shackleford was traveling to Pittsboro to visit her grandparents for dinner when she saw the burning building. Her grandparents noticed the fire beginning at a tower at the top of the building, where renovations were occurring.
"The whole downtown was covered in really thick smoke," she said. "There's no way to get anywhere."
WRAL is reporting that all traffic on U.S. 64 and U.S. 15-501 is closed near the courthouse.
