Mitchell jail fire

Mitchell jail fire

Date	May 3, 2002 (2002-05-03)
Venue	Mitchell County jail
Location	Bakersville, North Carolina, United States
Coordinates	36.0130°N 82.1545°W / 36.0130; -82.1545
Type	Fire
Deaths	8
Non-fatal injuries	13

On Friday, May 3, 2002, a fire broke out at the Mitchell County jail in Bakersville, North Carolina. Bakersville is located northeast of Asheville, North Carolina, and has a population of less than 500. The jail, built in the 1950s, held 17 inmates; some were serving time for misdemeanors and others were awaiting trial on felonies.

Sources

• Nowell, Paul. "N.C. Jail Fire kills eight inmates." Associated Press May 5, 2002.
• Hall, Nathan. "County veiled in sadness." Mitchell News Journal May 8, 2002.
• North Carolina Industrial Commission. Robinson v. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Civil Tort Counterclaim. March 2, 2009. Raleigh.
• New York Times "Fire Kills Eight Inmates Trapped in a North Carolina Jail" May 5, 2002, Section 1, Page 33 https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/05/us/fire-kills-eight-inmates-trapped-in-a-north-carolina-jail.html