A suspected meth lab could have led to the investigation of a Tea apartment after a fire Tuesday morning.
Sara Rabern with the South Dakota Attorney General's Office tells KSFY News that the Division of Criminal Investigation and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force investigated a suspected meth lab.
Earlier Story:
An early morning fire in Tea also brought out investigators with the Division of Criminal Investigation after chemicals were found inside an apartment.
Investigators with the Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Task Force, Tea Police Department, and the Tea Fire Department were on the scene of a fire at 615 E Brian Street in Tea. Crews arrived around 12:30 Tuesday morning.
The Tea Fire Department tells us they were called to the Wood Ridge Strip Mall for a fire alarm sometime after Midnight. When crews arrived they found a small fire burning in an apartment that had been fairly well contained by a sprinkler system prior to their arrival. The apartment is located above the China Massage Therapy and Spa business. Crews were able to put out the rest of the flames very quickly. All of the apartments were evacuated and no one was hurt. However, when crews were inside the apartment they say chemicals were found. The Tea Police Department says they had reason to believe that more chemicals were inside the apartment.
After obtaining a search warrant crews were able to search the apartment more carefully. The Tea Police Department tells us more chemicals were found but they are not telling us if those chemicals were dangerous or criminal in nature.
A letter was posted outside the apartment building shortly before 7:00am telling residents they could return to their apartments.
We are still waiting for an update from the Tea Police Department. We will bring you that information as soon as we have it.
