Alaska News

Palmer man arrested after house fire reveals meth lab, police say

Police arrested a 33-year-old Palmer man Friday afternoon after responding to his home for a "reported residential fire related to a methamphetamine lab," according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers said officials from the Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit's Mat-Su branch, the Western Alaska Alcohol Narcotics Team, the Special Crimes Investigation Unit, the Palmer Police Department and the State Fire Marshal's Office all went to the home on Gurn Circle around 12:30 p.m. after getting the report.

There, they found a fully functional "red phosphorous methamphetamine lab." The fire was contained to a small area outside the home, troopers said.

The homeowner, identified by troopers as Michael Wellman, was arrested and taken to Mat-Su Pretrial, where he is being held on $10,000 bail. He faces charges of misconduct involving a controlled substance, troopers said.

Arrangements were made for a private hazardous waste disposal company to clean up the home, troopers said.

Tegan Hanlon

Tegan Hanlon was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News between 2013 and 2019. She now reports for Alaska Public Media.

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