Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009
Fire tips police to Lynnwood pot farm
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Heidi Hoffman / The Herald
Police uncovered a marijuana growing operation at a Lynnwood house after firefighters responded to a fire in the 15100 block of 23rd Place W. on Friday.
LYNNWOOD — Police on Friday uncovered a major commercial marijuana growing operation that sparked a house fire in Lynnwood.
Firefighters responded before 8 a.m. to an unoccupied home in the 15100 block of 23rd Place W., Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said.
An electrical problem sparked the blaze that caused $30,000 damage in a bathroom, she said.
Firefighters found more than just the fire.
Five rooms in the home were full of marijuana plants, said Lt. Mark St. Clair with the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force.
Officials obtained a search warrant and removed the plants and growing equipment as evidence. Officials say there were several hundred plants at the home.
It also appeared that power was diverted to the home. Illegal growing operations often steal power to save on electricity costs, St. Clair said.
Fires are just one of the risks associated with the illegal operations, he said. Overloaded electrical circuits often spark blazes.
Powerful pesticides and chemicals also are used to grow the plants, he said.
“There definitely is a danger to the neighborhood and community,” St. Clair said.
Illegal growing operations are also often the site of violent crimes. Two people were gunned down in July 2007 in an Everett home where police found 800 marijuana plants. The deaths were linked to a major regional drug operation.
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.
Firefighters responded before 8 a.m. to an unoccupied home in the 15100 block of 23rd Place W., Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said.
An electrical problem sparked the blaze that caused $30,000 damage in a bathroom, she said.
Firefighters found more than just the fire.
Five rooms in the home were full of marijuana plants, said Lt. Mark St. Clair with the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force.
Officials obtained a search warrant and removed the plants and growing equipment as evidence. Officials say there were several hundred plants at the home.
It also appeared that power was diverted to the home. Illegal growing operations often steal power to save on electricity costs, St. Clair said.
Fires are just one of the risks associated with the illegal operations, he said. Overloaded electrical circuits often spark blazes.
Powerful pesticides and chemicals also are used to grow the plants, he said.
“There definitely is a danger to the neighborhood and community,” St. Clair said.
Illegal growing operations are also often the site of violent crimes. Two people were gunned down in July 2007 in an Everett home where police found 800 marijuana plants. The deaths were linked to a major regional drug operation.
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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