Meth-lab explosion caused burns, task force says

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Burns received by a Warsaw man Wednesday were the result of a meth-lab explosion, not a trash fire, the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force said today.

Toby D. Jackson, 31, is in serious condition at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne with second- and third-degree burns, the task force said in a statement.

Based on information provided to undercover officers, the statement said, task force officers and Warsaw city police have located what they believe is the scene of a one-pot meth-lab explosion near North Webster.

Potential charges related to the meth lab and items found at the scene are being forwarded to the county prosecutor's office for review, the statement said.

On Wednesday, the statement said, Jackson said he had been burning trash with gasoline and the flame flashed back to the gas can, exploding and burning him. It said officers searched several locations throughout the day, but were unable to find a place where that happened.