The fire was caused by a failure in a hydraulic line. Despite three previous fires in 11 years of operation, the plant had never received a safety inspection. The blaze killed 25 people and injured 54, many of whom were unable to escape because the exits were padlocked.
Plant owner Emmett J. Roe, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 19 years, but paroled after four. As a result of the fire, North Carolina passed new worker safety laws, including a provision that allows workers to report safety violations without fear of losing their jobs.
