Blast, Fire in Motel Blamed on Drug Lab

COSTA MESA —  A suspected methamphetamine lab exploded in a La Quinta Inn motel room Wednesday morning, engulfing the room in fire and setting off a search for those connected with the operation. No injuries were immediately reported.

Police say drug-producing labs in motel rooms, such as the one which apparently triggered Wednesday’s explosion and fire, are not unusual.

“It’s fairly common to set up labs in motel rooms in urban areas,” said Tom Wadkins, supervisor of the Orange County Laboratory Enforcement Team, a task force of the California Bureau of Narcotics assigned to investigate drug labs.

“It’s been done this way for many years. Then these people don’t contaminate their homes, and they can pack up and leave real quickly if they have to,” Wadkins explained.

Another narcotics expert supported that assertion. “I know that (portable labs) happen on a regular basis,” said narcotics Detective Robert B. Phillips of the Costa Mesa Police Department. “These people go from hotel room to hotel room. They are very mobile. They usually get rooms in front or in back of the hotel. They make drugs, move out and check into another motel under a different name.”

However, one officer said Wednesday’s drug explosion was a rare occurrence in Costa Mesa.

The explosion and flash fire at La Quinta Inn, 1515 S. Coast Drive, caused the evacuation of about a dozen neighboring guests, police said. Police would not say whether anyone was in the room when the blast occurred.

The Fire Department received an anonymous call from a man at 6:07 a.m. reporting the fire, Sgt. John P. Pherrin of the Costa Mesa Police Department said.

When police units arrived at the motel along with the Fire Department, Room 219 on the second level facing South Coast Drive was in flames, Wadkins said.

The size of the explosion indicated that the lab could have been producing one to four pounds of methamphetamines, Wadkins said.

He said it takes about two days from start to finish to set up a lab and cook the drug to completion. Such a lab poses an explosion and fire danger when fumes from volatile, drug-processing chemicals, such as ether and acetone, ignite.

“They were converting the liquids into a crystal-type form,” Wadkins said. “It would look like crystal salt. There were a lot of solvents used. You can make small quantities in about 12 hours.”

Found in the burned room were a microwave oven, an acetone bottle and other volatile fluids used to produce crack cocaine or methamphetamine. The explosion caved in a wall, and the fire destroyed the bed and scorched the carpet.

“At this time,” Wadkins added, “it appears it was an illegal drug lab.”

And, he said, “not in recent history have we had an explosion like this (in Costa Mesa).”

No suspect has been arrested, but police believe that there is more than one involved. Police found articles indicating that both men and women occupied the room. Also recovered at the scene were stun guns, a .38-caliber gun and four knives.

So far, no witnesses have come forward.

Last year, the Orange County task force seized 30 methamphetamine labs, according to Wadkins.

Times staff writer Wendy Paulson contributed to this story.