FEDERAL BUILDING HEATS UP WITHOUT AIR

Federal Building offices were temporarily closed Monday morning after an air-conditioning failure.

Handwritten notices announcing the closing were posted on the entrance to the building.

By 3:30 p.m., the entire building was closed. Offices are scheduled to reopen at 9 a.m. today.

The Internal Revenue Service and Social Security offices were closed because temperatures inside the rooms reached 90 degrees by 9:30 a.m.

A handwritten sign was posted on the door of the Social Security office. It read "Closed 7-17; Open 7-18."

Most court-related offices couldn't close in the morning because proceedings were already scheduled, said Walt Bradley, a supervisor with the U.S. Marshal Service. Bradley said jurors lined hallways of the second floor because many rooms were too hot.

A portable air conditioner was installed in the courtroom because a trial was scheduled for Monday.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh said most of the agencies had closed by noon. He sent the rest of the employees home about 3:30 p.m.

Since temperatures were in the upper 90s inside, court was held at Common Pleas Courthouse part of the day, Limbaugh said.

The building was still open at 2:30 p.m., but offices with the option to close did so earlier in the day.

Bob Keller, an inspector with the Army Corp of Engineers, said it was hot inside but he stayed until 4:30 p.m. There were no fans in the office and the windows couldn't be opened, he said.

Repairs were being made on the air conditioner.