1976 – June 30, youth prisoners start fire, McDowell County Prison, Marion, NC — 9

–9 NFPA. Deadliest Prison Fires in the United States. National Fire Protection Association.
–9 National Fire Protection Assoc. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).
–9 NYT. “Ex-inmate Says Fatal Prison Fire Was Set as Part of Escape Plan.” 7-21-1977, p. 26.

Narrative Information

NYT, July 21: “Morganton, N.C., July 20 (UPI) – A former inmate at the McDowell County prison unit, where a fire killed nine prisoners last year, said yesterday that inmates had set the blaze to lure guards into the cellblock as part of a mass escape plan. The former inmate, J. L. Johnson, testified at a hearing before the North Carolina Industrial Commission.

“Seventeen of the 23 inmates injured in the June 30, 1976, fire have sued the State Corrections Department seeking up to $30,000 each in damages. They contend that guards waited more than 20 minutes after the fire started before freeing them. Guards have testified that they were hesitant to free the inmates because they feared a mass escape.

“Mr. Johnson said that inmates originally talked about staging a fight to lure guards into the 33‐man cellblock, where they could be taken as hostages. However, the fight never took place.” (NYT. “Ex-inmate Says Fatal Prison Fire Was Set as Part of Escape Plan.” 7-21-1977, p. 26.)

Sources

National Fire Protection Association. Deadliest Prison Fires in the United States. National Fire Protection Association. Accessed 5-26-2015 at: http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/fires-by-property-type/prisons-and-jails/deadliest-prison-fires-in-the-united-states

National Fire Protection Association. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003). (Email attachment to B. W. Blanchard from Jacob Ratliff, NFPA Archivist/Taxonomy Librarian, 7-8-2013.)

New York Times. “Ex-inmate Says Fatal Prison Fire Was Set as Part of Escape Plan.” 7-21-1977, p. 26. Accessed 10-7-2021 at: https://www.nytimes.com/1977/07/21/archives/exinmate-says-fatal-prison-fire-was-set-as-part-of-escape-plan.html