Santa Fe, New Mexico, police officers entered an apartment building on Friday, February 10th, in response to a call about a strong smell coming from a small apartment, never suspecting that they would encounter dangerous chemicals from a potential meth lab.
As soon as the officers walked in the apartment building’s front door, they were assaulted by the smell and chemical effects. Forced to withdraw because they were not properly equipped, the officers left the scene quickly. However, the withdrawal wasn’t quick enough; all of the responding officers felt the effects of the chemicals, which included headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Two of those officers had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
A hazmat team was called in, and the police department and fire department have been carefully decontaminating the building. They now await a warrant to enter the small apartment, but two individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.
The entire neighborhood has been evacuated, including a total of four apartment buildings, numerous homes, and a teen center. The evacuation was ordered both because of the chemicals’ known dangers to citizen health and because of the increased potential for a fire.
Unfortunately, meth addiction is a serious problem in the United States, and it makes meth labs such as these a more commonplace danger to the general public. Thankfully, meth addiction can be overcome with the proper treatment, such as is available at Vista Taos Renewal Center; the center is located just 85 miles north of Santa Fe, where this took place.
If you or someone you love suffers from meth addiction, please let Vista Taos help them with tried and true 12 step inpatient programs and complimentary therapies.
