Latest Tulsa Apartment Fire Linked To Meth Lab

A growing number of meth related apartment fires have Tulsa County authorities concerned.

The latest happened over the weekend. One man has severe burns, and another faces drug charges after that explosion at the Somerset Apartments near 65th and Mingo.

02/26/2012 Related Story: Man Arrested After Meth Lab Explosion Rocks East Tulsa Apartment

Tulsa police say several people were inside the apartment, when an explosion blew a couch out a window of the living room.

Investigators say an upstairs neighbor also told them his furniture was lifted three to five inches from the force.

Law enforcement officers say meth labs in apartments are especially dangerous, because of the collateral damage they can cause.

The 2009 meth related fire at the Royal Arms Complex is Tulsa's most recent high profile case.

01/18/2012 Related Story: Tulsa Man Acquitted Of Murder, Arson; Guilty Of Making Meth In Deadly Fire

"One wrong move, or a little bit of one chemical agent more than they were supposed to have, and you can have and you can potentially have a terrible explosion on your hands," said Shannon Clark of the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

Clark says with so many people concentrated in complexes, it makes meth fires even more dangerous.

"Anytime you have an explosion in a confined area or space similar to that, you're obviously going to have a lot of collateral damage," Clark said.

The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office oversees a task force that includes deputies, federal agents, and officers from several communities.

It frequently meets with businesses, including apartment complex managers and owners, to talk about meth and how to spot meth making materials.

"Starter fluids, in apartment complexes? There aren't that many cars that need starter fluid," Clark said.

The task force fields calls every single day on a Tulsa County hotline: 918-592-METH. They say getting help from apartment residents and complex employees is critical.

"If it feels wrong to you and it looks wrong to you, let someone else know about it," Clark said.

Experts say if one apartment is getting a lot of visitors, who come at all hours and don't stay long, that could be a sign that needs to be reported.

Also, they say watch for potential meth making ingredients or equipment like bottles with a milky looking substance inside, discarded bottles of bleach or starter fluid or a high number of coffee filters.