BUTLER TWP — Police suspect a methamphetamine lab caused a fire that destroyed a Germaine Road house Saturday morning.

Investigators believe that the fire started in the basement and was caused by illicit activities, Butler Township Fire Marshal Larry Christy said Sunday.

Members of the family told police that there were three people in the basement of the house who did not have permission to be there when the fire broke out around 6 a.m. Saturday, Christy said.

Five people, including the residents, were in the house when the fire broke out.

The house is owned by the Day family, who was in the process of moving, though names of the occupants were unavailable.

A man who suffered burns was flown by medical helicopter to West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Though he told emergency responders that the fire started when he was attempting to fill a kerosene heater or lamp, investigators found no evidence to confirm that claim, Christy said.

The state police Clandestine Lab Response Team was called to collect evidence from the basement Saturday afternoon and they are assisting Butler Township police in investigating, Christy said.

Three other people were treated for smoke inhalation, one of whom spent the night in the hospital for observation, Christy said.

For more coverage of this story, read the Butler Eagle.