Lakewood police are investigating a fire that destroyed a home and seriously injured a man Friday.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue firefighters discovered a suspected methamphetamine lab inside the home in the 10100 block of 98th Street Southwest, Lakewood police Lt. Chris Lawler said.
They found the man in his mid-30s outside a neighbor’s home with significant burns. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and is listed in stable condition with burns over more than a quarter of his body, Lawler said. The man’s name has not been released.
Firefighters were dispatched to the house at 12:45 p.m. There were reports of heavy smoke and fire and a possible entrapment, said Michelle Johnson, spokeswoman for West Pierce Fire & Rescue.
She said firefighters entered the burning home but were ordered to leave after explosions were reported inside.
It took more than 25 firefighters about a half-hour to control the fire. The home is deemed a total loss, Johnson said.
Police and fire investigators are working to determine the origin and cause of the fire, Lawler said.
Christian Hill, staff writer
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