The Bass Lake Courthouse received a bomb threat via a phone call between 9 and 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14.

Earlier in the day, around 4 a.m., according to security guard Paul Lecour, a barbecue-sized propane tank was placed in front of the double glass doors at the back entrance to the building near the courtroom and torched, blowing-up one of the double paned doors.

Sheriff John Anderson said the explosion set the building on fire and woke up some members of the search and rescue team that were staying in a mobile home next to the courthouse.

Cal Fire responded to the scene around 4:14 a.m., but the fire was barely burning when they arrived on scene. According to Karen Guillemin, public information officer for Cal Fire, there was minimal fire damage, the charred door frame.

Three sheriff department patrol cars and a couple Citizen on Patrol units arrived on scene after the 9 a.m. bomb threat. A deputy stationed at the courthouse did an initial sweep of the courthouse and then deputies waited for a an arson/bomb canine unit out of Tulare. As of press time, the canine unit had not found anything unusual.

Guillemin said the courthouse was scheduled to re-open Wednesday, Aug. 15.

The incident remains under investigation.