Ventilation?
I would agree with you...a typical guy with some basic science knowledge and enthusiasm...can run a distillation system in his garage. Course, there are some general rules on ventilation and flames in the garage...which I suspect in this case, were violated. The same is true of safe ways to manufacture meth, which most people refuse to do in a safe manner....and you end up with folks doing in bathtubs and using some lousy sanitation habits.
Ventilation?