News
Road Crew Finds Remnants Of Meth Lab
By: Athens Messenger staff reports
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A York Twp. road crew found what turned out to be a “one pot” meth lab that apparently was discarded along a roadway.
According to a news release from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, the road repair crew noticed a suspicious bottle Thursday along Ten Spot Road, Nelsonville. The bottle might have been thrown from a passing vehicle. The Athens County Major Crimes Unit secured and removed the remnants of a “one pot” methamphetamine lab.
“The York Twp. road crew did a very good job of recognizing a hazardous situation on this day,” according to the news release, which says an investigation of the incident is ongoing.
Anyone who notices a bottle with a whitish-colored sludge with black or grey flecks should use caution. The meth lab bottles also may be partially melted or discolored.
Although they are referred to as “one pot” labs, it is common for two bottles to be used. The secondary bottle will often have tubes or hoses coming out of the top of it and is equally dangerous, according to the news release.
The two primary issues are noxious gasses the meth labs can emit and flammability, according to the news release.
“If items such as these are found, law enforcement should be called to evaluate the situation,” Acting Sheriff Rodney Smith said. “Do not touch or move the items in any way.”
He said children and pets should be kept out of the area until it has been cleared.
“It would aid in the evaluation of these events if law enforcement could view a photo of the scene at the time it is reported,” Smith said. “If, and only if, it can be done safely, a photo could be taken with a cell phone and then the photo could be emailed or sent as a text message to law enforcement for an initial evaluation.”