Syracuse Home Explosion Caused by Meth Lab
SYRACUSE — A Syracuse home’s attached garage is in shambles following a late night explosion. The residence is located at the intersection of Palm Drive and Harkless Drive.
On Monday, Oct. 12, at approximately 11:30 p.m. the Syracuse Police Department was alerted to a possible fire/explosion at 901 S. Harkless Drive in Syracuse. Upon arrival, responding officers observed a vehicle leaving the residence while the door was standing open with smoke visible. While one officer went to the residence to remove any occupants, the second officer stopped the vehicle observed leaving the scene. Upon stopping the vehicle it was found to be operated by Hailey K. Templeton-Drumm, age 32.
Drumm was found to have an active felony warrant from Kosciusko County for her arrest. During the routine vehicle inventory, several precursors for the manufacturing of methamphetamine were discovered inside the vehicle. Drumm was taken into custody on the active warrant and for possession of precursors with intent to manufacture.
During this same time, the Turkey Creek Fire Territory Fire Department was requested to respond to the hone after the two occupants had been alerted to the fire and removed from the scene. Once the fire department cleared the residence, the fire was found to have originated in the attached two-car garage. During the initial clearing of the garage, precursors to the manufacturing of methamphetamine were discovered in plain sight. A search warrant was acquired and the Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team was called to process the scene. On their arrival, the Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team located numerous paraphernalia items, methamphetamine trash and one one-pot lab.
The investigation is ongoing at this time. The above information was discovered as a police investigation. The Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office advises the defendant’s charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Syracuse Police were assisted by the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Indiana State Police and Syracuse Fire Department. Anyone with information on illegal drug activity is asked to call the Syracuse Police Department at (574) 457-5333 or the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force at (574) 372-2494.