Residents evacuated after suburban drug lab explodes

[Frazz]

A CLANDESTINE drug laboratory at a southern suburbs house has exploded, forcing the evacuation of nearby residents.

 

The lab blew up just after noon today, destroying the back half of the home at Clearwater Cres, Seaford Rise.

 

About 40 nearby resident have been forced to shelter in a nearby park’s rotunda, while they await clearance from CFS and SES crews. Police have cordoned off the street while they investigate.

 

Witnesses said that just after the blast, a man was seeing packing belongings into a car and driving off. Police are looking for a white Holden Commodore station wagon.

 

One neighbour said he attempted to stop the man by standing behind the car. But the man kept reversing down his driveway.

 

Neighbour Alison Huxtable was on the phone to her husband at 12.10pm when she heard a “very loud” explosion.

 

“I just heard this huge explosion and it just scared the crap out of me,” she said.

 

“I ran out and looked over the back fence and saw this guy grabbing all this stuff and throwing it into his car, including the surfboard. The back of the house was completely gone. And he just took off down his driveway.”

 

Another neighbour, Bob Hansford, said he tried to stop the man from leaving by standing behind his car as he reversed down his driveway.

 

“But I took one look at him and he wasn’t going to bloody stop, so I just got out of the way, mate."

 

Mr Hansford said he was inside his house opposite when he heard “this pretty loud explosion”.

 

“Everything rattled and banged – it was a bloody beauty. I raced outside to see what was going on and here’s this bloke trying to get the hell out of there in his car.”

 

Mr Hansford said he had suspected the property could have been used for a illegal drug lab several months ago, when he noticed a strong smell of chemicals.

 

Asked by AdelaideNow if he had reported this to police, Mr Hansford said: “Of course I bloody did.”

 

Acting Chief Inspector Peter Kennedy told the media at 2:45pm the priority was insuring the safety of residents living near the clan lab destroyed in the explosion.

 

Police were awaiting the arrival of a chemist and drug expert to help determine the risks presented by any chemicals not destroyed in the explosion.

 

Country Fire Service volunteers with special breathing apparatus entered the house at 3pm to conduct atmospheric tests for any chemical residue.

 

Chief Inspector Kennedy confirmed the property contained a clandestine laboratory which had exploded just after 12pm today.

 

MFS officers had entered the property to determine if anyone was still inside but found no trace of the occupant.

 

"Our priority now is to safely manage the incident we are concerned about the stability of the premise and we must rule out the possibility of any further danger to those people living nearby."

 

Chief inspector Kennedy said the explosion was one of the largest to have occurred involving drug labs and it was fortunate nobody had been killed or seriously injured.

 

"This is a reminder about the danger of undertaking this kind of activity.

 

"It's more good luck than good judgment that no one in the house or living near by was killed or seriously hurt."

 

Chief inspector Kennedy said a police investigation was underway to locate a man who was seen leaving shortly after it exploded.

 

Residents would not be permitted to return to their homes until the area had been declared safe by the police, CFS and State Emergency Services.

 

Author: COLIN JAMES, POLICE REPORTER

Date: December 17, 2007 01:30pm

Source: Adelaide Now , The Advertiser.

Copyright: Copyright 2007 News Limited.

 

[SukonmiSkunk]

hahahahahaa,... got a mate that lives at seaford rise....

[torture]

haha does he surf ss... i hope he does cause he aint too good at been a chemist

[67Special]

Unlucky!