On March 10 or March 11, 1948, a fire broke out in the women’s building of the Highland Mental Hospital in Asheville. The fire quickly swept through the building, engulfing all of the stories.
According to author Sherman Carmichael in his Mysterious Tales of Western North Carolina, this was the third fire in the hospital in less than a year.
In all, nine female patients succumbed to their injuries while inside. One of the more famous people who perished in the blaze was Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Zelda was a patient at the hospital. At the time of the fire, she was sedated and locked in a room on the top floor. Her body was only identifiable by her dental records and one of her slippers.
Arson was suspected as the cause by a disgruntled or mentally disturbed hospital employee, but no one was ever charged.
Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Sources: Mysterious Tales of Western North Carolina and personal research conducted by The Lantern.
(Notes) The Asheville Museum of History shows a date of March 11, 1948 (Image Credit)