Police and Fire Briefs for Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012
Police find apparent meth lab in apartment
Baton Rouge police arrested a Baton Rouge man early Saturday after finding a meth lab in his apartment, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
When the officer arrived at the apartment following a tip, he saw multiple people leaving the apartment and Anthony Tuminello on the couch with marijuana on the table next to him, the affidavit says.
After searching the apartment, the officer found a meth lab, the affidavit says.
Tuminello 25, 1835 Jim Taylor Drive, was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one count each of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and creation/operation of a drug lab.
Suspicious house fire under investigation
The Baton Rouge Fire Department is investigating a suspected arson on Bank Street on Friday night.
The fire started at 8:51 p.m. at a vacant residential house at 5034 Bank St., Fire Department spokesman Barry Mounce said in a news release.
The first unit was on the scene four minutes later, and the fire was under control within 15 minutes, Mounce said.
The fire started inside the house and spread to several other rooms, causing approximately $10,000 worth of damage, Mounce said. No other information about the fire was released.
Anyone with information about the fire can contact the Fire Department at (225) 354-1419.
Fire causes $180,000 damage to YWCA
Baton Rouge Fire Department officials are investigating the cause of a fire that caused more than $180,000 in damage to the YWCA Istrouma Early Head Start building on Winbourne Avenue.
Fire Department spokesman Barry Mounce, in a news release, said firefighters responded to the call at 6:51 p.m. and had the fire under control by 7:11 p.m.
Mounce said Fire Department officials think the fire began in a back classroom before spreading to the attic, where firefighters were able to control the fire before it spread to other parts of the building.
No one was injured, and the Head Start program will be closed until the damage is repaired, Mounce said.
Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call (225) 388-0369.