2 South Bend officers sickened by meth fumes

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Two South Bend police officers were taken to a hospital after authorities say they breathed fumes from methamphetamine that was cooking inside a backpack.

Police Capt. Phil Trent says one of the officers was admitted overnight for observation while the other was treated and released Wednesday.

The officers found the backpack while investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle behind a house on the city’s southeast side. Trent tells WNDU-TV that the officers were sickened after opening the backpack.

Officers also noticed odors coming from the house, where Trent tells the South Bend Tribune that a considerable amount of meth-related chemical were found.