| Location |
County |
Incident |
Date |
Year |
Fatalities |
Notes |
| Hamlet |
Richmond |
Factory |
September 3 |
1991 |
25 |
Imperial Food Products plant. 56 injured. Fire blamed on ruptured hydraulic fuel line near deep-fat fryer. Victims died of smoke inhalation. Plant owner convicted of criminal charges. Source: Various. |
| Charlotte |
Mecklenburg |
Apartments |
March 15 |
1940 |
9 |
Guthery Apartments on North Tryon Street. Six injured, including two firefighters injured by people jumping. Source: web site. |
| Asheville |
Buncombe |
Hospital |
March 10 |
1948 |
9 |
Highland Hospital. |
| Maxton |
Robeson |
Residence |
By July 16 |
1995 |
9 |
Mobile home. Eight children killed. Source: Fayetteville Observer, 16JUL95. |
| Laurinburg |
Scotland |
Nursing Home |
March 17 |
1996 |
8 |
Scotch Meadow Rest Home. Fire blamed on sparks from wall outlet with missing faceplate. Source: GNA. |
| Bakersville |
Mitchell |
Jail |
May 5 |
2005 |
8 |
Inmates killed. 13 injured. Fire appeared to start in storage room on ground floor and quickly spread through three-story brick and wood building. Fatalities were locked in their cells. Source: Various. |
| Asheville |
Buncombe |
Forest |
April 3 |
1907 |
7 |
Five children killed. Source: Washington Post, 04APR07. |
| Highway 301 |
Johnston |
Vehicle |
March |
1942 |
7 |
Munitions truck explosion. Over 100 injured. Source: Various. |
| Henderson |
Vance |
Residence |
January 22 |
1985 |
7 |
Seven youths killed. Fire believed started in downstairs room containing wood stove. Victims found in upstairs bedroom. Source: AP, 23JAN85. |
| Rocky Mount |
Nash |
Residence |
By November 13 |
2000 |
7 |
Two blocks from main fire station. Six children killed. Six injured. Source: The State, 13NOV00. |
| Zebulon |
Wake |
Residence |
January 14 |
1968 |
6 |
Senior and five children. |
| Marion |
McDowell |
Jail |
Before July 5 |
1976 |
6 |
Inmates killed. At least six died. |
| ? |
|
Residence |
By December 24 |
1977 |
6 |
|
| Taylorsville |
Alexander |
Residence |
February 24 |
1996 |
6 |
Hidden Valley Road west of Taylorsville. Three children and one senior killed. Fire blamed on electrical short in kitchen outlet. Source: Charlotte Observer, 24FEB96. |
| Silk Hope |
Chatham |
Residence |
June 11 |
2002 |
6 |
3900 Silk Hope Road. Three children killed. Source: Durham Herald-Sun, 12JUN02. |
| Midway Park |
Onslow |
Residence |
July 9 |
2003 |
6 |
Mobile home just outside Camp Lejune. Six children killed. Source: USA Today, 09JUL03. |
| Kinston |
Lenoir |
Factory |
January 29 |
2003 |
6 |
Explosion and fire. West Pharmaceutical Services. 38 injured. Source: various. |
| Asheville |
Buncombe |
School |
November 16 |
1917 |
5 |
Catholic Hill School. Three children missing. |
| Raleigh |
Wake |
Clubhouse |
February 1 |
1948 |
5 |
Carolina Country Club. |
| Goldsboro |
Wayne |
Commercial |
April 12 |
1954 |
5 |
Explosion and fire. Edwards and Jernigan Furniture Store. Five or more fatalities. 25+ injured. Source: Washington Post and Times Herald, 13APR54 |
| Rocky Mount |
Nash |
Residence |
January 30 |
1957 |
5 |
House at 220 Nashville Road. Source: FD yearbook. |
| Shelby |
Cleveland |
Commercial |
May 25 |
1979 |
5 |
Explosion and fire. Fatalities included four firefighters. |
| Charlotte |
Mecklenburg |
Residence |
January 1 |
1989 |
5 |
1517 Norris Avenue. Fire blamed on
cigarette dropped into cushions on upholstered chair. Source: FD yearbook. |
| Brevard |
Transylvania |
Residence |
November 13 |
1991 |
5 |
Source: oral history. |
| Chapel Hill |
Orange |
Fraternity |
May 12 |
1996 |
5 |
Phi Gamma Delta at University of North Carolina. Fire blamed on discarded cigarette or match in basement party room. Victims found in second floor bedrooms. Source: Various. |
| Dunn |
Harnett |
Residence |
February 18 |
1997 |
5 |
Three children killed. Source: New York Times, 18FEB97; News & Observer, 24FEB97 |
| Deep Gap |
Watauga |
Residence |
By April 10 |
1999 |
5 |
Mobile home at 141 Bill Miller Road. One child killed. Source: Durham Herald-Sun, 10APR99; Winston-Salem Journal, 10APR99. |
| Sanford |
Lee |
Residence |
March 4 |
2006 |
5 |
Three children killed. Electrical short believed cause. Two-bedroom house. Source: Fayetteville Observer, 05MAR06; GNA. |