METH LAB SUSPECTED IN CONDOMINIUM FIRE

Federal agents are investigating a fire Monday afternoon at the Signal View
Apartments which may have been caused by a methamphetamine lab, officials said.

"We are assisting the Chattanooga Fire Department on a call after
firefighters located some components that possibly could be used in the
manufacturing of methamphetamine,'' said Ben Scott, resident agent in
charge of the Chattanooga office of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

No injuries were reported in the 2 p.m. incident at 900 Mountain Creek
Road, officials said. No one was home when the fire was discovered and law
enforcement officials are looking for the person who sublet the unit from
the owner, officials said.

An employee of the 484-unit complex was walking through the complex when
she smelled smoke and alerted other staff members to the fire, said George
Kangles, whose firm manages Signal View Apartments.

Butch Higgins and Bill Peterson, two maintenance workers for the complex,
kicked in the door of the second-story unit that was burning and used fire
extinguishers to battle the blaze centered in the kitchen area, said Bruce
Garner, spokesman for the fire department.

After firefighters extinguished the blaze, items were discovered in the
kitchen that were suspicious, Mr. Garner said. Battalion Chief Jim
Appleberry called for fire investigators and officials with the Drug
Enforcement Administrations Meth Lab Task Force.

Capt. Randy Jacks with the fire investigation division said the cause of
the fire could be linked to the manufacturing of meth.

One resident of the complex said she was furious over the prospect of one
of her neighbors manufacturing the drug which is sold for up to $100 a gram.

"I'm seven different shades of infuriated,'' said Stephanie Raymond, who
bought her condominium less than two years ago. "I'm paying $600 a month to
have some idiot do something like this next door to me.''

Ms. Raymond said officials of the complex should have tighter restrictions
for owners to sublease their condominiums.

"People seem to be more concerned with money than with safety,'' Ms.
Raymond said.

Agent Scott said investigators found glassware, compressed gas cylinders,
solvents and tubing, commonly associated with the manufacture of meth.

Drug Enforcement Administration officials said 357 meth labs have been
discovered in Tennessee over the last 10 months.

Agent Scott said he wasn't surprised to find a lab in a densely populated
condominium complex.

"We don't consider it uncommon to find a meth lab any place nowadays,'' he
said.

An environmental cleanup company carted away the components of the meth lab.