FIREFIGHTER EXPOSED TO CHEMICALS

GRESHAM -- A Gresham firefighter was exposed Wednesday to chemicals
associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine after responding to a
fire at a house that authorities said turned out to be a high-volume drug lab.

The firefighter, whose name was withheld, suffered minor skin irritation
but was not seriously injured and later returned to duty, said Greg
Matthews, a spokesman for the Gresham Fire and Emergency Services.

Multnomah County sheriff's deputies planned to guard the small house in the
17000 block of Southeast McKinley Road through the night.

Armed with a search warrant, deputies planned to search the home today,
said Lt. Brian Martinek of the sheriff's office.

At about 5:15 p.m., Keith Kemp, a next-door neighbor, called 9-1-1 after
seeing smoke coming out of the house.

Nobody was at the home when firefighters arrived minutes later, but
witnesses say that at least three people were seen leaving the home.

When firefighters entered the home they discovered a fire at the back of
the house, 50-gallon drums, chemicals, microwaves and two large dogs.

Firefighters left the building after extinguishing the blaze, Matthews said.

"A lot of strange things are going on in there," Kemp said, adding that he
wasn't surprised about having a drug lab so close to home. "Neighbors kind
of expected it."

Kemp said people were constantly coming and going at all hours of the night
since new renters moved in about a month ago.

Martinek said that no suspects had been questioned.