Pubdate: Wed, 05 Jan 2005
Source: Surrey Now (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462
Author: Tom Zytaruk
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

DRUG SQUAD STUDIES RUINS

Some 20 Whalley households were evacuated for several hours Monday 
afternoon as flames spat out from a rental house suspected to have 
contained an illegal methamphetamine lab.

Traffic was rerouted as Surrey firefighters fought the blaze, which appears 
to have gutted the two-storey house at 12460 95A St.

Firefighters and RCMP drug squad officers entered the charred house in grey 
Hazmat suits, looking for evidence yesterday morning.

"Quite often there are some volatile products," Fire Capt. Marc Berube 
said. "When they're combined together it's possible they could be explosive 
in nature, but also the fumes can be quite toxic."

Gurinder Kaur, next-door neighbour to the house, was one of the evacuated 
and described the fire as a "scary" situation. She added that she never saw 
anyone next door and wasn't even aware it was occupied.

Other neighbours were more subdued in their comments, considering the 
literally explosive threat that drug labs pose.

"There's always a concern but it's not surprising. It's Surrey, you know," 
resident Kai Laukien offered.

One longtime resident who requested anonymity said she never saw anyone at 
the house. The blinds were always pulled on its windows, she said, and a 
"little red car" and black Mercedes SUV showed up once in awhile.

Police did not return phone calls concerning the investigation.

In an unrelated matter, Surrey firefighters are investigating a blaze that 
appears to have started in a fireplace and ate into the attic of a 
woodworking shop at 184th Street and Fraser Highway on Sunday afternoon.

"The fire was difficult to fight," Berube said.
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