14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Man critical, but stable after meth lab explosion

Man critical, but stable after meth lab explosion

By Gretchen Ross - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Sarah Harlan - email

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - Shortly after 5:00 Tuesday night, Evansville Police and Fire responded to an explosion call in the 4000 block of Spring Valley Road.

They said a meth lab exploded.  

Police said Thomas Kulauwnski, who was in the apartment at the time of the explosion, suffered severe burns.

Kulauwnski was originally taken to Saint Mary's Medical Center, but was transferred to Vanderbilt's Burn Center in Nashville where he is in critical but stable condition.  

As police investigate the explosion, they said Tuesday night's situation could have been much worse.

"You're taking corrosives, flammables and explosives," Detective Scott Hurt with the EPD said. "We're taking these chemicals that are dangerous all by themselves, they're dangerous. Now we're going to mix them together and add some more chemicals that will make them more volatile."

Hurt said that's what led to an explosion at the Spring Valley apartment complex on the city's east side Tuesday night.

Residents at the complex said they could feel the blast.

9-1-1 caller:"There was an explosion."

Operator:"Okay, what was it?"

Caller:"He says his blanket burst into flames but it pushed out the front wall of the apartment by a foot and a half. The apartment is full of smoke and things are smoldering all over the place."

Hurt said cooking meth in a confined space like an apartment is extremely dangerous and Tuesday's explosion could have been worse.

"Maybe in an apartment complex you are looking at 800 square feet," Hurt said. "Now you are looking at a multiple dwelling area. You've put everyone in the building, maybe even the building next to you in danger and in jeopardy."

Hurt said the lab found Tuesday is known as a one pot meth lab.

"People are attempting to make it," Hurt said. "It's hit or miss. Again we're not dealing with chemists who are educated, and they are making this in a controlled environment. These are backyard chemists who think they know what they're doing."

To keep future explosions  from happening, Hurt said the Narcotics Joint Task Force relies on the community for tips.

"They'll smell one or more of these chemicals, they'll call in and then our investigators will sniff it out so to speak," Hurt said.

Holly Hilton, 33, was also in the apartment Tuesday night along with Kulauwnski.

She is still being held in the Vanderburgh County Jail Tuesday night on $15,000 cash bond.

Four of Kulauwnski's neighbors were displaced of their apartments Tuesday because of the explosion.

The Red Cross is helping those neighbors out.

Regional Development Officer Greg Waite said right now all four residents have a place to stay, whether it be at a hotel or a family member's house, but he said meeting their needs days from now is the next step.

Waite said if the residents decide to move to another apartment complex, the Red Cross can help by paying their first month's rent, or the organization can also chip in by assessing what items could have been damaged by Tuesday's explosion that need replaced, like food and clothing.

Waite said the goal is to help these residents return to their daily life as soon as possible.

"What are they going to need, are they going to have to go back to work? Trying to ensure that they can move on with their daily life because, especially in this situation, it was considered a crime scene," Waite said. "They really couldn't go back in, so we had to make sure their needs were met right away."

Police are still investigating Tuesday's explosion.

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