Officials say several children were removed from a home in a Carencro RV park and placed in state custody after fire investigators discovered an alleged electrical fire was really the result of a failed methamphetamine cooking attempt.
Robert Bradley, 50, of Carencro, was arrested Wednesday on a charge of simple arson upon his release from a Lafayette hospital where he was treated from wounds he originally said he received from a Coleman lantern, according to Deputy Chief of the Department of Public Safety, office of the State Fire Marshal Brant Thompson.
Thompson said the Carencro Fire Department had been dispatched to small fire on St. Claire Street at the Bayou Wilderness RV Resort on June 28, but the call was cancelled. Some officials inspected the scene and interviewed one of the trailer's occupants, who said there had been problem with breaker panel started fire. She also said Bradley, was at work at the time.
On June 29, Bradley reported to a medical facility in Opelousas and was later transferred to Lafayette with severe burn injuries. The burn report was forwarded to the State Fire Marshal. Investigators visited the original scene and found the damage did not match with an electrical fire.
They concluded explosion had occurred and found, after a search, multiple items associated with methamphetamine production.
A warrant was secured. Bradley confessed that he was cooking meth when explosion occurred and was placed under arrest upon release from the hospital.
The children living in the trailer have been placed in the custody of Louisiana Child Protective Services.