Following the unexpected postponement of his one-year prison term on Feb. 9, Lil Wayne has managed to escape yet another hearing.

According to TMZ, a fire occurred this morning at 10:30 a.m. in the basement of the Manhattan Criminal Court building, where Wayne was scheduled to be sentenced, sending smoke throughout the building and forcing it to shut down for the remainder of the day.

The lobby was filled with a haze and a light plume of yellow-brown smoke that was visible near the roof, says court spokesman David Bookstaver, who also revealed that the blaze started in a wooden contractor's shed.


As a result, five firefighters, two civilians and one prisoner suffered injuries. "It's not deemed suspicious," a rep for the New York Fire Department told 'E! News,' "but the fire marshal is investigating the possibility that the fire started, thanks to some construction in one part of the courthouse."

Although the courthouse is scheduled to reopen tomorrow, Wayne's hearing is now set for March 8. In addition to staying on top of the rapper's legal matters, his lawyer Stacey Richman is also making sure her client's transition into Riker's Island is seamless. She plans to request that Weezy have protective custody during his 12 months behind bars.

"If Wayne had his druthers, he would not be asking for anything for himself," she said, adding that she's concerned for the 'A Milli' MC's health and safety.