Sarasota man arrested after home meth lab explodes

A “Breaking Bad”-like experiment went really bad Tuesday afternoon when explosion in Sarasota turned out to be caused by a meth lab, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office and fire department responded to an explosion call in the 3400 block of Fairview Drive around 2:45 p.m.

Andrew Ilardi, 25, told fire department personnel he was trying to make methamphetamine when a combination of lye, ammonium nitrate and lighter fluid exploded on him, according to a probable cause affidavit.

He came out of the house with burns on his face and arms, and detectives found chemicals and over-the-counter medication in the home.

Ilardi faces one count of meth manufacturing. At first appearance, the judge raised his bond to $15,000, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

This story was originally published January 11, 2017 at 3:53 PM with the headline "Sarasota man arrested after home meth lab explodes."