Man accused of running meth lab at Michigan State University's Wells Hall
A man was arrested for allegedly running a meth lab inside Wells Hall at Michigan State University, police say.
Court records show that 31-year-old Xin Tong was charged with malicious destruction of a building over $20,000 and operating/maintaining a lab involving methamphetamine. Tong was arraigned on Wednesday and received a $500,000 cash/surety bond.
Officials say Wells Hall will be closed through Friday, May 1.
The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety says it received a report of property damage inside the building last week and determined the damage was caused by "alleged criminal activity." Police say Tong allegedly had multiple substances — including sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and butane.
Tong was arrested and taken to the Ingham County Jail. It is unclear if Tong is a student or a staff member.
The university says the building is undergoing further evaluation "to ensure a smooth return to normal operations." Officials say there is no threat to the campus.
Meanwhile, MSU says exams at the building have been rescheduled and relocated.
According to the university's website, Wells Hall is one of the largest academic buildings on campus and houses the departments of mathematics, English and all languages.