City of Gaffney police investigators talk with members of the Spartanburg County Hazardous Materials Unit at the Midway Sports Complex on Wednesday afternoon. Potentially hazardous devices found inside a West Buford Street apartment were transported to the sports complex where, police said, they were “rendered safe.” (Ledger photo/TIM GULLA) A fire call at a West Buford Street apartment complex Wednesday resulted in the arrest of a city man on several charges related to the possession and manufacturing of allegedly destructive devices.

Though he would not describe it as a bomb, City Police Chief Rick Turner said that one of the items investigators found “appeared to be a PVC pipe, closed on both ends, with a fuse coming out of it.”

Matthew Randall Byars, who lives at Westwood Apartments, was charged with possession/ manufacture of a destructive device, use of a destructive device, and possession of parts, materials and components used to construct a destructive device, according to the Gaffney Police Department.

The charges stem from an incident that began unfolding Wednesday morning when City of Gaffney firefighters were dispatched to the apartment complex regarding a report of a structure fire.

“Neighbors saw smoke coming from a balcony and reported it to the building manager, who called 9-1-1,” said Scott Coleman, training and safety officer for the Gaffney Fire Department.

At the time of the call, however, the apartment number wasn’t known, so arriving firefighters staged at the apartment complex entrance while Coleman and Lt. Josh Borders headed in opposite directions within the apartment complex to find the scene. Borders was able to determine the fire had occurred in the “1000 building” at the complex.

Firefighters said Byars initially did not want to allow anyone access to his apartment and police were summoned to the scene. Before the arrival of police, however, Borders, Coleman and the apartment manager were able to gain entry and, in talking with Byars, learned that he had been making fuel for model rockets inside the apartment, Coleman said.

Coleman said they learned Byars had taken some of the fuel out onto his balcony to test it and that “it basically flared up on him.” The burning fuel scorched the exterior wall of the apartment on the balcony, but the fire was out before firefighters arrived, Coleman said.

“The occupant was interviewed by the fire and police departments and it was decided that police would follow up,” Coleman said.

Turner said that when police arrived, they observed “other suspicious devices that appeared to be possibly some type of incendiary device.”

A decision was made to clear the building and secure the scene and Turner said he called in the Hazardous Materials Unit from Spartanburg, which secured the material and transported it to the Midway Sports Complex, where it was “rendered safe” through intentional detonation.

“The fire department did a good job in identifying suspicious items and calling law enforcement immediately,” Turner said.

According to an incident report, Byars told a police officer that he used stump remover, sugar, corn syrup and various other chemicals to make the rocket fuel.

Among the items found by police were a long PVC pipe with a homemade device attached to one end and a 12-inch PVC pipe with a cap glued on each end with approximately three feet of fuse coming from it, according to the report.

Byars remained at the Cherokee County Detention Center as of Thursday afternoon. His bond was set at $75,000 and he will be subject to home confinement if and when he posts bond, according to Gaffney Municipal Court