Montgomery Co. Explosion Leads To Drug Investigation
GAITHERSBURG, Md. (WJZ) -- A drug investigation in a federal facility in Montgomery County is underway after an explosion Saturday.
Pat Warren reports one person was injured in the blast.
Montgomery County police are wondering if that person, a security officer, was cooking meth.
Police say the explosion at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg Saturday may have been drug-related.
"Someone may have been attempting to manufacture drugs at that facility and that reaction, fire, explosion was a part of that process," said Montgomery County Police Captain Paul Starks.
And that leaves local residents to wrap their minds around that.
"That's terrible; I can't believe it," said one. "Breaking Bad in our neighborhood."
Police are trying to determine if the security guard injured in the blast was cooking methamphetamine, which involves a number of hazardous chemicals.
The DEA is also investigating.
The security officer was treated and released and has resigned from his job.
The Institute of Standards and Technology employes some 3,000 scientists, engineers and technicians.