County crews tramped around the roof of the El Paso County Courthouse Monday morning, figuring out how to repair holes caused by Friday’s sudden violent storm.

“Whatever touched down, whether a funnel cloud or a microblast, it just hit this roof and ripped it off,” Deputy County Administrator Monnie Gore said.

The building’s south tower sustained no structural damage, he said. But the storm lifted the composite membrane roof and tossed concrete blocks, used to hold down charcoal filtering devices for vent pipes, like toys over a 120-foot-by-40-foot area, he said.

“One of them was thrown over onto the other courthouse roof,” he said, adding that others were slammed onto the south tower roof, making holes.

The roof was the original when the building was built in the 1970s, he said.

Three courtrooms, hallways, offices and a judge’s chamber on the building’s west end sustained water damage, he said, and two cooling units atop the building were damaged.

Cost estimates for repairs can’t be made until things dry out.

“They’re still drying out courtrooms down below,” Gore said as he walked on the roof.

“Ceiling tile, Sheetrock, wallpaper, we haven’t assessed that. The first thing is to dry it out. We got infiltration from water yesterday when it rained. Those who did the emergency roofing missed a spot.”

The schedules of Judge Kirk Samelson and Judge Patrick Kelly weren’t disrupted, because they didn’t have court hearings slated for Monday. Gore said he didn’t know about their workload today.

Judge Larry Schwartz was moved to another courtroom, Gore said.

One injury was reported, by a contractor working on an asbestos abatement project, Gore said.

Because it’s self-insured, the county must pay for the repairs itself.

–

Call the writer at 636-0238.

Janet Jackson thanked the audience for their support during the 9th Annual BET Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. Photo by The Associated Press