The Pennsylvania State Police Clandestine Lab Response Team was back in Tamaqua Thursday afternoon, after Tamaqua Police discovered a possible methamphetamine lab in a vacant apartment at 130 E. Broad St.

The apartment is located on the second floor of the Chili Dog restaurant.The team was previously in Tamaqua in February, at 29 E. Elm St., and in December 2013 at 227 Lafayette St.The raid came after Tamaqua Police were alerted to an open door in the building, shortly after 11 a.m.Knowing one of the building's owners had passed away the night before, and aware that vandals have been targeting buildings in copper thefts, police contacted the family and were given permission to go inside.The apartment was empty, but what they found in the living room led them to call for a response from the Pennsylvania State Police team.The building was then secured, awaiting the arrival of the specialists.In a relatively short time, the team was assembled and began the delicate task of removing the hazardous chemicals.Dressed in full hazardous materials suits, four members entered the apartment and began sifting through closets, cupboards and multiple backpacks, looking for the readily available ingredients needed to make methamphetamine.While they didn't find large amounts, they found enough to classify the apartment as a meth lab.Even a small amount of the drug can be deadly to the people making it and the greater community at large.While making the illegal version of meth has become easier, the process still involves the use of hazardous materials, including explosives, corrosives and chemicals.Fumes, vapors and spillage involved in the "cooking" of meth can be toxic.There is always the threat of an explosion and fire, which could release even more toxins into the air in addition to the damage that would be caused.While the apartment was empty, there were plenty of clues pointing to who had been using it, including prescription pill bottles.While processing the evidence, several items were fingerprinted. Those prints will be entered into a database for comparison.Charges will be filed "when the evidence is processed and the investigation is complete," according to Tamaqua Chief of Police Rick Weaver.