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  • Cullman County HAZMAT and CNET members prepare to enter a meth lab found at Days Inn late Wednesday morning. The lab was still active when discovered by local law enforcement. Trent Moore

    Active meth lab discovered at hotel

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October 22, 2009

Active meth lab discovered at hotel

By Trent Moore The Cullman Times

CULLMAN — An active meth lab was discovered late Wednesday morning after exploding at the Days Inn hotel on Highway 278.

No one was injured during the incident, and fire damage was contained to the interior of one room on the back side of the hotel.

One suspect, described as a young man with brown hair, fled the scene and is still at large as of press time. Local law enforcement have identified the suspect, but have not released his name.

“We are still searching for him,” Cullman Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET) Director Matt Gentry said.

Gentry said both arson and drug manufacturing charges will likely be filed against the suspect.

The lab was initially discovered early Wednesday morning by hotel maintenance worker Tom Gardner.

“The room was smoky and the guy said he threw a lit cigarette in the trash, but there was just so much smoke,” Gardner said. “But, then I smelled it (meth). That’s a smell you can never forget ... I tried to grab (the suspect), but when he heard the police coming he ran off.”

Once the Cullman Police Department received the call and responded, the Cullman Fire Department ensured surrounding rooms were evacuated. CNET agents and members of Cullman County HAZMAT then entered the room and gathered evidence.

Gentry said part of the hotel room was damaged by fire when some chemicals being used exploded.

“It looks like, during the cooking process, it did explode in the bathroom,” he said. “(The suspect) tried to put it out in the toilet then dumped it in the woods. We have recovered what was left in the woods.”

The way in which the chemicals were quickly disposed of makes it hard to identify exactly how much meth was at the scene, Gentry said.

“It’s hard to tell, due to how he dumped the chemicals out in the woods,” he said. “We will have to send it to the lab for further analysis.”

Unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance is a Class A felony, punishable by up to life in prison.



* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 225.

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