Honey Oil Lab Explosion Sends Father & Son to Hospital, Uncovers Illegal Family Business
Photo: confiscated from the Gilberts
“Just after 3 p.m. on 12/11/21, TCSO Deputies were called to the 16800 block of Claremont Street in Woodville for an explosion. Witnesses said there was fire and smoke coming from inside the home and several people were hurt.
Deputies learned the people who were hurt were taken to the hospital before they arrived. Tulare County Fire Officials determined the explosion was caused by a Butane Honey Oil Lab.
About an hour later, Kaweah Delta Hospital contacted the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and said they had two severely burned men admitted to the hospital. Deputies went to the hospital and determined they were the same men who lived at the house with the Honey Oil Lab.
Due to the severity of their burns, 59-year-old Clyde Gilbert and his 37-year-old son, Clint Gilbert, were airlifted to a Fresno area hospital for further medical treatment.
A search of the Woodville home was conducted and evidence of an operating Butane Honey Oil (BHO) lab was found, as well as about 105 pounds of processed marijuana, 9 illegal guns and several illegal firearm magazines.
Detectives were able to determine that 32-year-old Shane Gilbert and 26-year-old Randall Gilbert, who are also Clyde Gilbert’s sons and live at the home but were not there at the time of the explosion, were illegally manufacturing firearms (ghost guns) without serial numbers. Approximately 8 of the guns found at the home did not have serial numbers and were illegal to possess.
Shane Gilbert was arrested for Possession of an Undetectable Firearm, Criminal Storage of a Firearm, Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Felon in Possession of Ammunition and Possession of a Short Barrel Shotgun. Randell Gilbert was arrested for Possession of an Undetectable Firearm, Criminal Storage of a Firearm and Possession of a Prohibited Weapon.
Further investigation and interviews will be conducted once Clyde and Clint Gilbert are out of the hospital to determine what charges they will face. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at 559-733-6218.”
