Washington firefighters responded shortly after 11:30 a.m. to a report of a house on fire at 1733 Pottery Road.

Deputy Fire Chief John Borgmann said the blaze started in the home's kitchen and that the cause was under investigation.

"Evidence at the scene leads investigators to believe that individuals were involved in the manufacture of methamphetamine when the fire broke out," said Detective Sgt. Jason Grellner, commander of the Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit (FCNEU).

At least two people were in the residence at the time and it's believed the man was burned in the accident, Grellner said.

Most of the damage was confined to the kitchen, but when the man ran into the bedroom to take off burning clothes it started a "secondary" fire, Grellner said.

Witnesses saw the two people running away from the home before firefighters arrived.

Grellner said FCNEU officers know the identities of the two suspects, a 34-year-old white male described as a transient and a 27-year-old white female from the Union area.

Both have been arrested in the past for meth-related crimes, Grellner said.

The man renting the house was at work when the fire started but he was allowing the two suspects to stay at the home, according to Grellner.

In addition to FCNEU officers, insurance investigators and Jim Schuhmacher, county arson investigator, are on the case, Grellner said.

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