Attempt by inmate to heat sausages in his stainless steel toilet goes up in smoke

Published: Thursday, March 26, 2009 | 4:02 PM ET

Canadian Press NewsItem/NewsComponent/NewsLines/ByLine

CLALLAM BAY, Wash. - An attempt by an inmate at a Washington state prison to heat up sausages in his stainless steel toilet went up in smoke when the cooking fire forced the evacuation of dozens of other convicts.

Clallam Bay Corrections Center spokeswoman Denise Larson says 130 inmates were evacuated to a dining hall when smoke was spotted coming from a sewer vent pipe Wednesday evening.

She says the smoke was traced to the inmate's cell and he admitted to trying to heat up snack sausages bought from a prison store in the toilet.

The toilet chef has been placed in segregation pending discipline at the prison on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

His name was not disclosed.