May 21, 2013
NICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- One man is dead and another is facing charges following what authorities believe was a meth lab explosion.
The Niceville Fire Department reports that rescuers responded to the apartment Saturday night.
Officials say Jeremy Noah Taylor suffered severe burns on his face, neck, chest and arms. He was taken to a Fort Walton Beach hospital, where he later died.
Police say Taylor's roommate, 47-year-old Michael Joseph Ryan, was arrested after being forcibly removed from the burning home.
Neighbors told officers Ryan threatened to kill them for calling police. A police report says Ryan faces aggravated assault and resisting arrest charges.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, but investigators refer to the crime as an "alleged methamphetamine lab" explosion.
