Police disappointed locals knew about P-lab pre-blast

File photo / Daily Post

A fatal explosion may have been prevented if residents had reported their suspicions about a P-lab south of Auckland, police said.

Clint Gordon Curly, 25, died in a blast at a house on Mckinney Rd in Glenbrook just before 6pm on Thursday.

Police have revealed Mr Curly was manufacturing an "illicit drug" when a chemical process went wrong and caused the explosion.

Counties Manukau Police Detective Senior Sergeant Al Symonds said it was disappointing to find residents knew drugs were being made at the Glenbrook property.

The explosion could "quite possibly" have been avoided if police had been tipped off, he said.

"We would have known about it beforehand.

"It is frustrating. If they want us to be able to do something about these drugs in their communities we need to know about it."

He encouraged people to use the police anonymous Crimestoppers line to report suspected drug manufacture.

"A lot of people are understandably intimidated by these people but that's what the anonymous line is there for.

"We take this hugely seriously. We investigate each report thoroughly.

"What you report may not be the straw that breaks the camel's back but we can combine it with other information to get a result."

A 38-year-old man will appear at Pukekohe District Court on Wednesday in connection with the case.

He has been charged with allowing drug manufacture but more charges are likely, said Mr Symonds.

More arrests were also possible, he said.

In the wake of the explosion, neighbours told the Herald "everyone knows" the Glenbrook house was used to cook methamphetamine and it was not surprising that it blew up.

One man said it had been only a matter of time before an accident like that happened.

"In the community, we know it as 'the P house'."

Children did not go near it "for that reason", he said.

It is understood the man who died was a friend of the man who lives at the house.

Neighbours said the armed offenders squad had been called to the address more than once in relation to firearms offences.

"You don't have to be Einstein to work out what was going on," one said.

A woman who was returning home with her daughter after netball practice said it was "very upsetting" to turn into her street and find it filled with police.

Another neighbour said he had heard the explosion but did not think too much of it at the time because of the steel mill nearby.

The anonymous police Crimestoppers number is 0800 555 111.