COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Sheriff’s Department says a man and a woman were burned in a meth lab explosion Sunday morning at a residence in Ovid Township and there could possibly be other victims as well. 9-1-1 Central Dispatch took a call at 5:50 a.m. yesterday about the explosion at 675 Jo Jo Lane. On arrival deputies found a 26 year old man in the driveway with the majority of his clothing burnt off with severe burns on his body. In the residence was a 24 year old woman with burns on her upper torso.
Deputies assisted Life Care Ambulance and the Lakeland Fire Department in treating the man and woman. The female was transported to the Community Health Center of Branch County and the male went to Parkview Hospital in Ft. Wayne. No names have been released and there’s no word on their conditions.
The preliminary Investigation shows 4 adults were sitting in a car in the driveway manufacturing methamphetamine when the meth cook blew up. Deputies said it appears two of the subjects then fled the scene on foot. Child Protective Services was summoned to the scene for a five year old that was sleeping in the residence.
Deputies will be submitting warrant requests to the Branch County Prosecutor’s Office for numerous felony charges involving the use and manufacture of methamphetamine for all four subjects. The incident remains under investigation. Also assisting Sheriff Deputies was a meth technician from the Coldwater Police Department.
