Meth Lab Found at Lamplighter Apartments in Banning

The Coachella Narcotics Task Force raided an apartment in Banning and found a dormant methamphetamine lab Friday, sheriff's and police officials said.

The search was conducted about 5:20 p.m. Friday at a unit of the Lamplighter Apartments, 501 N. Sunset Ave., Cpl. Courtney Donowho of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.

No one was home and no arrests were made.

A hazardous materials contractor was called out to clean up the mess, and a county haz-mat team responded along with county public health representatives, Donowho said.

The cleanup and street closures in the neighborhood lasted about six hours, a resident said.

Although methamphetamine manufacturing involves toxic substances, residents who live near the vacant apartment were not in any danger, Donowho said.

The lab was "small" and it was not in use at the time of the search, Donowho said.

No arrests were made, Donowho and Banning police Chief Leonard Purvis said Saturday.

A resident in the neighborhood described "a flurry of police, fire and other officers surrounding a specific apartment on the east end directly on Sunset Ave."

Donowho and Purvis confirmed many details the resident described.

"At around 5:20 p.m. there were reports of a loud boom-like sound, speculation is that is was a flash-bomb. . . . They have Sunset Ave. blocked from George St. to Nicolet St. with 'Road Closed' signs and orange parking cones," the resident said.

By 11:55 p.m., the roadway was still closed and there were two fire department haz-mat trucks as well as numerous other vehicles in front of the apartment complex, the resident said.

The manager of the apartments said officers would not tell her what was going on, the resident said. Just after midnight, the fire and haz-mat teams were packing up their trucks and taking down the road blocks.