11/01/2008 00:00:00
UK: House fire uncovers cannabis plants
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THREE fire crews were scrambled to a house in High Wycombe last night,
which was suspected as being used as a cannabis factory, after it caught
light.
Firefighters were called to the blaze in Upper Green Street at 8.44pm
and residents were evacuated from neighbouring properties.
They were allowed back to their homes soon afterwards once the area had
been deemed safe.
Once inside the two-storey end of terrace house, firefighters and police
found the first floor rooms filled with heat lamps, electricity cables
and a large number of plants.
The crews had to use four sets of breathing apparatus and two hose reels
to tackle the flames. Twenty-five per cent of the first floor was
wrecked by the fire and 100 per cent of the building was damaged by smoke.
An electrical fault was found to have caused the blaze after officers
carried out an investigation of the property.
Aysha Hussain, who lives in the road, said she became aware of the blaze
at around 8.30pm.
The 27-year-old mum-of-two said: "We just saw the smoke. There was smoke
coming from two houses from the roofs."
Police blocked off the road until around 3am and the house was being
stripped of its fire damaged furniture this afternoon.
Firefighters have issued a warning following last night's blaze about
the risks cannabis factories can have on people's lives.
Damian Smith, chief fire officer, said: "As well as dealing with the
fire, we had to be wary in case hidden dangers had been left inside.
"Colleagues in other parts of the country have had to contend with door
and window handles that have been booby-trapped by being wired to the mains.
"Cannabis factories pose a potentially lethal fire risk in local
communities. The temperature inside the houses may be as high as 40
degrees centigrade and rooms may contain chemicals such as fertiliser
and pesticides."
http://www.thisisbucks.co.uk/display.var.1960166.0.house_fire_uncovers_cannabis_plants.php
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13139
Author:
Bucks Free Press via UKCIA
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