Travelers were a bit startled at two different hotels after having to evacuate because authorities found methamphetamine labs in the hotel rooms.
The Hampton Inn in Center City, Philadelphia had to be evacuated on Saturday after police discovered a makeshift meth lab being operated out of a room on the third floor. Mathew Phillip Sinson, 27, was arrested and charged for making and possessing $70,840 worth of illegal drugs, according to Philly.com.
The meth lab set off a fire alarm, which resulted in 300 guests having to evacuate the hotel and leave their beds early on Saturday morning. Firefighters and the Police Department's Homeland Security and Terrorism unit responded to the incident and made the discovery.
Sinson was producing the addictive stimulant with the "one-pot" or "shake-and-bake" method in the hotel. These techniques can cause explosions to occur and toxic fumes to be released. The method requires a combination of chemicals to be shaken up in a plastic bottle. The chemicals within the room can make it unsafe to live in.
This wasn't the only makeshift hotel room meth lab bust over the weekend.
Those staying at the Holiday Inn in Peabody, Massachusetts had to evacuate late Sunday night after police discovered another meth lab. Hotel security guards noticed smoking coming from one of the rooms, according to The Boston Herald.
Police discovered a large amount of dangerous chemicals in a first floor room of the hotel. Over 200 people had to evacuate while The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and police investigated in incident.
No one was at the room when the discovery was made, but police have information about who paid for the room. They are looking for the suspect.
No one was hurt in the incidents.
Hotel meth labs are becoming more common as the chemicals used can easily seep into fabrics, furniture and floors.
It's popular to do this," Joe Sullivan, chief of the Homeland Security unit told Philly.com. "You basically destroy someone's hotel room, and then you leave."
Professional cleaners will have to step in to clean up traces of the chemicals form the rooms.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
