Pubdate: Tue, 28 Aug 2001
Source: Chattanooga Times & Free Press (TN)
Copyright: 2001 Chattanooga Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.timesfreepress.com/index.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/992
Author: Dick Cook

METH LAB SUSPECTED IN CONDOMINIUM FIRE

Federal agents are investigating a fire Monday afternoon at the Signal View 
Apartments which may have been caused by a methamphetamine lab, officials said.

"We are assisting the Chattanooga Fire Department on a call after 
firefighters located some components that possibly could be used in the 
manufacturing of methamphetamine,'' said Ben Scott, resident agent in 
charge of the Chattanooga office of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

No injuries were reported in the 2 p.m. incident at 900 Mountain Creek 
Road, officials said. No one was home when the fire was discovered and law 
enforcement officials are looking for the person who sublet the unit from 
the owner, officials said.

An employee of the 484-unit complex was walking through the complex when 
she smelled smoke and alerted other staff members to the fire, said George 
Kangles, whose firm manages Signal View Apartments.

Butch Higgins and Bill Peterson, two maintenance workers for the complex, 
kicked in the door of the second-story unit that was burning and used fire 
extinguishers to battle the blaze centered in the kitchen area, said Bruce 
Garner, spokesman for the fire department.

After firefighters extinguished the blaze, items were discovered in the 
kitchen that were suspicious, Mr. Garner said. Battalion Chief Jim 
Appleberry called for fire investigators and officials with the Drug 
Enforcement Administrations Meth Lab Task Force.

Capt. Randy Jacks with the fire investigation division said the cause of 
the fire could be linked to the manufacturing of meth.

One resident of the complex said she was furious over the prospect of one 
of her neighbors manufacturing the drug which is sold for up to $100 a gram.

"I'm seven different shades of infuriated,'' said Stephanie Raymond, who 
bought her condominium less than two years ago. "I'm paying $600 a month to 
have some idiot do something like this next door to me.''

Ms. Raymond said officials of the complex should have tighter restrictions 
for owners to sublease their condominiums.

"People seem to be more concerned with money than with safety,'' Ms. 
Raymond said.

Agent Scott said investigators found glassware, compressed gas cylinders, 
solvents and tubing, commonly associated with the manufacture of meth.

Drug Enforcement Administration officials said 357 meth labs have been 
discovered in Tennessee over the last 10 months.

Agent Scott said he wasn't surprised to find a lab in a densely populated 
condominium complex.

"We don't consider it uncommon to find a meth lab any place nowadays,'' he 
said.

An environmental cleanup company carted away the components of the meth lab.
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