Liberty County Sheriff's Office deputies said they got a tip Friday afternoon about a methamphetamine lab where the drug was reportedly being manufactured. The tipster said the lab was on County Road 3731 near the Liberty/Harris/Montgomery County lines.
Deputies arrived and surrounded the location. Officials said they knocked on the front door and the suspect opened it, holding a utensil used to make methamphetamine.
A large amount of uncompleted product was recovered along with a small amount of completed methamphetamine.
Deputies dismantled the entire methamphetamine lab for evidence.
The suspect told officials that a flash fire occurred at the lab before they got there. He had burns on his hands, forearms, face and chest, but he continued making and using more methamphetamine until investigators arrived.
The man was treated for his burns and he will need additional medical care, officials said. His name was not released.
According to authorities, this is the second time in 90 days this suspect has been arrested while making methamphetamine.
This incident also marks the 14th methamphetamine lab to be stopped and confiscated by the LCSO Crime Suppression Unit within its 90-day existence.
Products used to make meth, including fertilizers, are explosive. LCSO officials said these methamphetamine labs pose an "extreme fire and explosion hazard not only to the person manufacturing the product, but to any persons within several hundred feet of whatever structure contains the lab."
