Fire alarms and flooding force red state lawmakers to evacuate mid-gerrymander debate

Red-state lawmakers had to stop working and leave the state house while debating a redistricting bill because of a blaring fire alarm and major flooding.

"Crazy moments unfolding at the Alabama State House," reported journalist Jeff Sanders from X on Wednesday. "During Senate debate over the redistricting bill involving Senate Districts 25 and 26, fire alarms suddenly began sounding after an already tense day."

Sanders added that Alabama lawmakers had to deal with a tornado warning on top of their contentious debate about gerrymandering their state. Although the state senators called for a recess to evacuate the building, they did manage to cast their votes to pass a proposed redistricting first, Sanders reported.

"The Senate quickly moved to pass the bill as Democrats dropped their filibuster," Sanders wrote. "Lawmakers, staff and members of the media are now evacuating the State House."

According to Sanders, "Republicans were expected to invoke cloture at some point to end the Democratic filibuster anyway."

Later, Sanders found out from law enforcement and State House maintenance that "the issue appears to stem from major flooding in the lower levels of the Alabama State House," he wrote.

"The biggest concern right now appears to be potential electrical hazards," Sander reported. "Passage of the bill was never really in doubt. Republicans were likely allowing Democrats time to go on the record and voice their opposition to the legislation, but the weather emergency brought an abrupt end to the legislative day."