nbc news correspondent stephanie gosk arrived to cover the story. and your first thought is, how did anyone break out of there? reporter: when law enforcement poured into the search area it became hard simply to move around. this wasn t just a couple of cops walkin down the street, knocking on doors, this was hundreds of law enforcement on the streets, holding positions with automatic weapons, helicopters overhead. everything was extremely difficult. there were roadblocks every half a mile. you would be stopped. you d have to open up your trunk. reporter: just a short distance away from the prison, the escapees would- be getaway driver joyce mitchell was just waking up. but she was nowhere near david sweat and richard matt. instead, she was in a hospital room, coming to under a cloud of doom. what happened? i knew that was the night it was gonna happen. and i didn t really know what to do. reporter: joyce says at the moment of truth, she had been overcome by confusion a
through the tape our first glimpse of the hole that take them from one prison building to the next. investigators squeeze themselves through it to reach the other side. they push forward. retracing the prisoners steps and just look them, dealing with unbearable heat. at 14 minutes they re underneath the asphalt yard between buildings. reporter: it is a maze that even these investigators have trouble mastering. there is piping hot steam. at times, it s hard to breathe. we re basically southbound from that tunnel. reporter: about 17 minutes in, they reach the now legendary steam pipe used by the escapees. this is where it gets tricky.
now just exited the block area and enter the pipe chase tunnels add jay sent to b-block and c-block. reporter: it s a maize that even these investigators have trouble mastering. there s piping-hot steam. it times it s hard to breathe. we re basically southbound from that tunnel. reporter: about 17 minutes in, they reach the now legendary steam pipe used by the escapees. this is where it gets tricky. sweat had told investigators he spent nearly a month cutting holes in this steam pipe. all part of his secret nightly trips spent mapping out their elaborate escape. i ll get this pipe. see if we can exit. attempting to extricate myself from the steam pipe.
between buildings. we are now just exited the block area and enter into the pipe chase tunnels adjacent to b block and c block. reporter: it s a maze that even these investigators have trouble mastering. there is piping hot steam. at times, it s hard to breathe. we are basically southbound from that tunnel. reporter: about 17 minutes in, they reach the now legendary steam pipe used by the escapees. this is where it gets tricky. sweat had told investigators he spent nearly a month cutting holes in this steam pipe. all part of his secret nightly trips spent mapping out their elaborate escape. going to get in this pipe. just now reaching the exit. and hoping to extricate myself from the steam pipe.
one prison building to the next. investigators squeeze themselves through it to reach the other side. watch your legs. reporter: they push forward, retracing the prisoners steps. and just like them, dealing with unbearable heat. it s getting warm. reporter: at 14 minutes, they are underneath the asphalt yard between buildings. now just exited the block area and entered into the pipe chase tunnels adjacent to b block and c block. reporter: it s a maze that even these investigators have trouble mastering. there is piping hot steam and at times it s hard to breathe. basically southbound from that tunnel. reporter: about 17 minutes in, they reach the now legendary steam pipe used by the escapees. this is where it gets tricky. sweat had told investigators he spent nearly a month cutting holes in this steam pipe, all