It's Sunday morning around 10, you're relaxing on a day off before you're back in the office on Monday morning. The property is far from
your mind when your cell phone rings: There's been an explosion in one of the buildings
. Emergency Services are responding and many tenants have been injured.
Sounds terrible doesn't it?
For Walnut Creek Apartments this was a reality in the fall of 2014. At 10 a.m. in a six unit complex a drug lab exploded leaving the entire building destroyed and many residents injured. The two men who live in the apartment were critically injured and airlifted to a burn center.
Unfortunately due to the availability of ingredients at-home drug labs are rising in popularity. It is important that property managers, resident service coordinators, maintenance workers, residents and everyone else on the property are aware of the risks and warning signs of an apartment with a drug lab. In apartment buildings there are many innocent residents who can be affected by one drug lab; it is important to have eyes and ears open to the warning signs of these dangers at your property!
The warning signs to look out for in the trash or on the property: unusually large amounts of pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), cold packs, antifreeze, empty pill packs, duct tape, ammonia smell, covered windows, sulfuric acid, empty bottles, tubing, funnels, coffee filters, drain cleaners, aluminum foil, lithium batteries, butane, propane, grain alcohol, and of course unexplained heavy traffic in and out of the apartment at odd hours.
Warning signs in tenants behavior: Anxiety, secretive or unfriendly behavior, confusion, paranoia, violence, the tenant is jobless yet has large amounts of cash.
Be careful! The waste created by drug labs is toxic and very dangerous; it's very important
to exercise caution near the trash or disposal areas.
If you suspect or find a drug lab at your property call the DEA, Fire Department or Police. Do not touch anything with your bare hands or attempt to clean anything you
rself; the chemicals
are extre
mely
dangerous and require Hazmat
equipment. Everyone in the area should be evacuated because explosions are common and very dangerous. If while in the area you begin to feel sick or light headed seek medical attention immediately.