Man burned in 'cover-up' meth lab blast

GOBLES, Mich. (WOOD) - A man suffered severe burns after a methamphetamine lab exploded near a campfire.

Two other people are also accused in the case, and all three could face charges including operating/maintaining a meth lab and maintaining a drug house.

A 60-year-old man from Gobles and a 56-year-old man from Gobles purchased meth lab components during the day on Monday and went to a friend's residence in their city to make the drug, police said.

All three suspects assisted in the manufacturing of the drug at the woman's house on Homewood Drive, police said.

The older man was sitting next to a campfire during the early morning of Tuesday when a plastic bottle, used as the reaction vessel in the "one pot" meth lab, failed and exploded.

The 42-year-old female homeowner heard the victim scream for help, and when she went outside she found him on fire.

The flames were extinguished and the woman tended to the victim's wounds. The 60-year-old man suffered burns to his legs, stomach and hands.

Then around noon on Wednesday, the woman took the victim to Bronson Lakeview Hospital in Paw Paw, police said in a news release. But she left the hospital without explaining to the staff how the victim was injured.

Hospital staff then called Paw Paw police who then contacted the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit to help investigate.

Detectives learned the details about the incident and where it occurred.

A medical helicopter took the victim to the burn unit at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. His condition is unknown at this time.

Once the investigation is completed, the report will be sent to the prosecutor's office for review.

If you have any more information about this incident then you are asked to call police at
269.657.3101, Crime Stoppers at 1.800.342.7867, or Silent Observer at 269.343.2100.