An 18-year-old University of Denver student is facing possible drug and arson charges after an alleged drug lab in his dorm room caused a fire Wednesday night. Fire Forces Evacuation
Students, Friends React To Discovery Of Lab Investigators said that around 11:40 p.m. Wednesday, fumes from a mini-drug lab ignited a flash-fire inside Canadian student Adam Gaffney's (pictured, left) fourth-floor room in the Centennial Towers South dorm. Gaffney was injured by broken glass while trying to extinguish the fire, 7NEWS reporter Lance Hernandez said. He was treated, then taken to jail, and has since bonded out. Gaffney may face charges of manufaturing marijuana concentrate and 4th degree arson. About 600 students were evacuated. The fire was confined to one room and extinguished in 25 minutes, but it did cause $5,000 in damage, according to investigators. Firefighters said that they found Coleman stove fuel, crushed marijuana leaves, potting soil and all kinds of drug-making paraphernalia in Gaffney's room. Authorities alleged that Gaffney was using it to make so-called "hash oil." It was the first hash oil lab that Denver police have come across, 7NEWS reporter Lance Hernandez said. "We're doing methamphetamine labs right now in Denver at the rate of three or four a week. We've done psilocybin labs, and we've done all different kinds of chemical labs, but this is the first hash oil lab that we've done," Sgt. Mark Olin, of the Denver police, said. "This is the first time in the 25 years that I've been with the university that we've seen anything like this," said Tyrone Mills of DU Campus Security. "We are very relieved that there were not more injuries or damage done and that the residents are all safe," said Todd Olsen, associate vice provost for DU. "We take illegal drug issues very seriously on our campus and will cooperate fully with the Denver Police Department to address this situation." Most of the 600 residents of the building were allowed to return to their rooms around 2 a.m. Thursday, but the fourth floor of the south tower remained closed while the investigation continued. One student was surprised at the discovery of the alleged lab. "You know there's like weed and stuff, 'cause it's a college campus. But the fact that there's that extensive of an actual drug lab in the dorms is kind of scary," DU student Andra Arnold said. Jeremy Evans said that Gaffney is one of his fraternity brothers, but Evans didn't know that Gaffney may have been involved in drugs. Evans said that if anyone did know, they should have spoken up. "It's his responsibility and the people who knew that was going on in there to confront him first. And obviously, if that didn't work, and there's something dangerous in there, it needs to be taken to the right person," Evans said. After hearing about the fire, many parents tried to contact their sons and daughters who live in the dorm. "She just wanted to make sure that I was okay. She said, 'Do you know the guy?' and I was like, 'I met him,' and she's like, 'You weren't involved?' and I'm like, 'No Mom, I'm good,'" DU student Amber Kirchenschlager said. Previous Story:

• April 26, 2001: Overnight Fire At DU Blamed On Suspected Drug Lab