SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A man was severely burned Friday during an apparent meth lab fire at his home in Shelby Township.
Officials believe the man had a meth lab in his home, and something happened that caused a fire. Shelby Township police and firefighters were called at 3:41 p.m. to the home in the 8000 block of Wiloray Avenue on the report of a house explosion.
Police said the man was badly burned in the fire, so he got into his vehicle and drove about a mile to the Planet Fitness near 23 Mile Road and Van Dyke to take a shower.
"All I basically saw was a guy running in with no shirt, burns, socks and a pair of gym shorts," a witness said. "Something didn't look right. Then we heard him screaming and everybody started running around. (He was) just in pain, you know, burns. I'd be screaming too."
Police saw him fleeing the home and realized he had started the fire. He was taken into custody at the Planet Fitness.
The man suffered serious burns from the arms and the chest all the way up to his neck and was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment, police said. He's in "very serious condition," police said.
Officials wanted to airlift the man to the hospital, but they weren't able to do so because of the stormy weather, police said.
The area around Planet Fitness is blocked off, and the building was evacuated due to contamination. Officials are considering roping off even more of the area.
Experts said meth is very toxic, which is why everyone inside Planet Fitness had to be evacuated. When the man drove from his home to the gym, he spread the risk of contamination.
Police are working to contact a hazmat team to go into the home on Wiloray Avenue, decontaminate both scenes and investigate the cause of the fire. Residents are asked to stay away from the area.
Shelby Township police are continuing to investigate the incident.
You can see video from the scenes on Wiloray Avenue and Planet Fitness below.
Stay with ClickOnDetroit.com for updates.