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