Fire at Creekside Apartments started by meth lab

 Three Corbin residents have been charged with endangering police officers and a three-year-old after a methamphetamine lab they were allegedly operating caught fire at an apartment complex in Knox County.

Twenty-eight-year-old Norma Brock, 46-year-old Barbara Morrison and 43-year-old Edward Cosgrove were arrested after firefighters and police were called to the scene at Creekside Apartments just before 4 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the fire department incident report firefighters initially responded to a call of a structure fire.

“On arrival FD was met by a younger male stating the fire was out,” firefighters stated, noting the male, later identified as Cosgrove, appeared to have breathing difficulties. “He did not want FD to investigate nor would he tell us anything.”

Firefighters went to the apartment and while the fire was out, having been put out with a dry chemical extinguisher, the kitchen area had suffered significant damage, particularly near the stove and sink.

“When the lab caught fire, they had thrown it at the kitchen sink and the back wall caught fire,” Jones said.

Firefighters found a working meth lab along with several precursors that had been thrown into an outside dumpster.

Corbin Police were contacted to investigate.

According to the arrest citation, Officer Steve Meadors performed a safety sweep of the apartment during which he observed cold packs that had been cut open, lithium batteries that had been cut open, plastic tubing, drain cleaner, lye and other items associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Meadors sought treatment for repertory trouble from breathing the air inside the apartment.

“Later we were notified by Social Services that a 3-year-old child was injured at the hospital that had been exposed to the lab,” Meadors stated.

Jones said Thursday that the child, Morrison’s grandson was treated for his injuries and then released to the custody of his grand father.

“She can’t see him without supervision,” Jones said.

The other residents in the building were evacuated as firefighters set up a decontamination area and Corbin Police Capt. Coy Wilson secured the meth lab.

Brock was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, third-degree controlled substance endangerment to a child and tampering with physical evidence and lodged in the Knox County Detention Center. She is being held in jail on a $25,000 cash bond.

Cosgrove was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, third-degree controlled substance endangerment to a child and tampering with physical evidence and lodged in the Knox County Detention Center. No bond has been set in this case.

Morrison was charged with third-degree controlled substance endangerment to a child. She is being held without bond in the Knox County Detention Center.