Possible explosion risk causes Tulsa bomb squad to evacuate area near Chandler Park
BY ZACK STOYCOFF & AMANDA BLAND World Staff Writers
Thursday, April 05, 2012
4/05/12 at 5:12 AM
Read the Tulsa World’s continuing coverage of the meth epidemic.
Several houses were evacuated about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday after materials used to make methamphetamine and chemicals for making explosives were found in a house near Chandler Park, officials said.
The materials, found in a house near 22nd Street and 61st West Avenue, could have been volatile enough to explode and damage nearby homes, police said.
The Police Department's bomb squad began searching the house shortly after 11:30 a.m., Capt. Jonathan Brooks said.
"Six one-pot method (meth) labs were discovered along with lab equipment reminicent of labs used to make meth 10 to 15 years ago," Tulsa Fire Department spokesman Stan May said Wednesday night.
"Toulene, acetone, peroxide, alumium powder, and sodium hydroxide were just a few of the chemicals found at and removed from the residence," he said.
Don Morris Alexander, 41, was arrested on complaints of endeavoring to manufacture drugs and manufacturing or selling bombs or explosives, Tulsa Jail records show.
Tina Marie Alexander, 33, was arrested on a complaint of endeavoring to manufacture drugs.
The Police Department's Special Investigations Division learned about the materials during a drug investigation that began earlier this week, Brooks said.
He said area residents had reported unexplained "loud sounds and explosions" during the past few weeks.
Police surrounded the house Wednesday morning, waited for the residents to go outside and then apprehended them, Brooks said.
Three children ages 8 to 12 also lived in the house but were at school at the time, he said. They were with other family members Wednesday evening.
A Tulsa Fire Department Hazardous Materials Unit and Tulsa County sheriff's deputies were also at the scene. Although the area is not within Tulsa's city limits, the Tulsa Police Department was the lead agency because the drug investigation began in Tulsa, Brooks said.
Several streets in the area were closed to traffic as authorities set up for the search, parking an armored vehicle outside the house and setting up a mobile command center nearby. Police urged residents to stay away from the area.
Area residents were allowed back into their homes Wednesday afternoon.
Berryhill schools, which are about a mile south of the home, were not in danger and were not locked down or evacuated, police said.
Original Print Headline: Explosion risk causes call to evacuate near Chandler Park
Zack Stoycoff 918-581-8486 Amanda Bland 918-581-8413
zack.stoycoff@tulsaworld.com amanda.bland@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Police gather at a house near Chandler Park where potentially dangerous chemicals were found on Wednesday. Police said the substances were associated with meth production. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World
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