Two prison employees died and several others were injured following a fire and attempted prison break Thursday afternoon at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution.
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety has identified the two victims as Justin Smith, a 35-year-old correctional officer and Veronica Darden, a 50-year-old correction enterprises manager.
Officials said inmates started a fire around 3 p.m. at the prison’s specialty sewing plant, where about 30 inmates work. After the fire was started, several inmates tried unsuccessfully to escape.
The fires were extinguished by 5 p.m.