Inmate sets mattress on fire at Wayne County jail
By Melody Brown-Peyton
Published in News on May 3, 2018 4:31 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
The Goldsboro Fire Department responds to a fire on the second floor of the jail Thursday.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Sheriff Larry Pierce talks to firefighters about the fire that started in a cell on the second floor of the jail Thursday afternoon.
An inmate at the Wayne County Detention Center set a mattress on fire early Thursday afternoon that forced sections of streets around the courthouse to be blocked to traffic.
No injuries were reported.
Goldsboro firefighters responded to reports of a fire inside the jail just before 2 p.m.
The fire was reported on the second floor. Sheriff Larry Pierce said seven inmates on the second floor were moved to the third floor within the detention center.
He said the only damage reported was the mattress.
Interim Fire Chief James Farfour said that the fire was put out quickly with a fire extinguisher.
The courthouse was never evacuated.
Wayne County spokesperson Joel Gillie said at this time it is not known what was used to set the fire, nor is the inmate involved being identified publicly.
The fire remains under investigation.