Meth lab may have contributed to neighbors' medical issues

WASHINGTON, Pa. — A man is in jail accused of cooking meth in his Washington County home.

A tip led investigators to Ewing Street. When they knocked on the door of the home Tuesday morning, they said they were overwhelmed by the smell.

“Oh, it was horrible. Like a real strong ether smell,” a neighbor who did not want to be identified said.

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William Berdine, 38, admitted to cooking meth in the home, police said. He was allegedly cooking when officers knocked on his door.

A special response team was called in to handle the dangerous chemicals in Berdine’s home. Neighbors took photos of investigators removing evidence from the home.

A woman who lives next door said she believes the odor affected her health. She’s been experiencing migraines and dizzy spells.

“I felt like my nose was bleeding with no blood,” that neighbor said. “A lot of pressure in my face.”

Police said Berdine was dumping a liquid outside his window, in between his home and hers.

Another neighbor said her son had been to the doctor for unexplained migraines.

Neighbors said they worried Berdine was cooking meth, but they could never prove it.

Cox Media Group