An apartment complex in unincorporated Arapahoe County was evacuated Monday after a suspected drug lab exploded.
Authorities were called to the Cherry Creek Gardens in the 9900 block of East Peakview early Monday morning after residents reported hearing an explosion.
About 16 apartments were evacuated due to the danger of chemicals believed to be in one of the apartments, 7NEWS reported. Residents were seen driving away from the apartment complex under the guidance of police early Monday morning.
Crews dressed in protective white suits searched the apartment to make sure there weren't any more chemicals that might explode.
"Because of the chemicals used, they can do a lot of damage to your lungs and skin if they are inhaled, so (crews) go in with full precautions so they are protected," Mandy Reed, of South Metro Fire Rescue, said.
Arapahoe County Sheriff Pat Sullivan said that Robert Lindblad, 21, and Debby May Craig, 38, suffered burns in the explosion and fire. The blast occurred in Lindblad's apartment bathroom around 4 a.m., according to Sullivan.
Lindblad and Craig were taken to Centennial hospital, where they were treated and released into the custody of sheriff's deputies.
A 13-year-old and a 16-year-old who were also in the apartment were not injured.
Police said that the suspected lab appeared to be small.
Authorities said that the number of clandestine drug labs they've found in the last few months has doubled from that of a year ago.
They said that's in part because the drug has become easier to make and the labs are smaller and more portable. Meth labs have been discovered in cars, apartments, storage units, an airplane hangar and -- with increasing frequency -- motel rooms.
The West Metro Drug Task force recently issued a flier to motel employees, describing tell-tale clues to people using rooms as makeshift labs.
They warned employees to be suspicious of guests who shun room service or bring in large quantities of glassware or cat box liner.
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