By David Hedges Publisher
Times Record-Roane County Reporter
Just how dangerous are the materials used to manufacture methamphetamine?
State Police found out last week when some items they had confiscated caught fire at the Spencer detachment.
Thousands of matchbooks in a black plastic garbage bag and some empty chemical containers ignited in the kitchen of the Spencer detachment Thursday evening, only a short while after police had confiscated the materials from a vehicle in downtown Spencer.
"Something ignited the matches while we were going through the materials and it started a fire," said Tfc. G.K. Walsh who was in the detachment with Cpl. S.M. Mullen and detachment commander Sgt. J.E. Elmore when the fire broke out around 6:30 p.m.
 Also present was a suspect in the case, Leila Fay Hardway, 33, of Front. St.
All escaped without injury. Police officers used two fire extinguishers from their cruisers to extinguish the blaze just as the Spencer-Roane Volunteer Fire Dept. arrived.
"They had their lines charged with water and were ready to go," said Walsh. "That's how close it was."
The only visible damages to the building were scorch marks on the vinyl floor in the kitchen where the fire started. The detachment still smelled of smoke this week and a computer which fell victim to powder from the fire extinguisher was not working properly.
Hardway was charged with operating or attempting to operate a clandestine drug lab. She was arraigned by Roane Magistrate Denver Gandee Jr. following the fire and lodged in the Central Regional Jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.
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