An inmate at the Botetourt Correctional Unit near Troutville died Thursday afternoon, and the cause of his death is still being determined, officials said.

Virginia Department of Corrections spokesman Larry Traylor said there was "an inmate who appeared to be unresponsive" about 1:20 p.m. No other inmates were involved, he said.

Traylor said medical staff attempted to resuscitate the inmate without success and "he was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead."

The inmate is not being identified, because Traylor said it was unclear whether family members had been notified.

The center's warden could not be reached Friday.

According to Traylor, the inmate's body has been taken to the medical examiner's office in Roanoke for an autopsy.

"It appears to be natural, but we're waiting for that determination," he said.

The center, formerly called Camp 25, houses about 340 inmates, its Web site said.

-- Neil Harvey