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Where there’s smoke, there’s a grow-op

Forest Grove ouse fire leads to marijuana grow operation bust

On April 30, emergency services were called to a residential house fire, which was already being battled by neighbours and passers-by when they arrived, in the 4500 block of Canim-Hendrix Lake Road in Forest Grove.

Conservation officer Colin Kravontka was the first responder on scene. He cleared the residence and determined that there was no one inside.

"When I arrived, there were some people operating the [garden] hoses outside, and I asked somebody if anybody was in there. They didn't know where they were, but the owner's vehicle was there, so that's why I went into the basement."

The porch was blazing, he explains, so the front door was blocked and being sprayed with water by the other helpers.

"I tried to go [upstairs] from the basement, but it was too smoky, so I went around the side. We finally got the door open, and I had to go in a couple of times to check it all."

The smoke was so thick, Kravontka says he had to run in and out of the house several times at various entries holding his breath in order to check the house to confirm the house was empty.

"I could only just cover so much because I had to come out and get some more air, and then I went back in and did the rest of the top floor. Then I finally went downstairs again and just shut the power off [at the circuit breaker box], and by that time the fire department had arrived."

While fire crews were tending the fire, 100 Mile House RCMP conducted traffic control. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. However, there was smoke and water damage to the residence.

During the fire investigation, a marijuana grow-op was discovered in the adjoining shop. The occupants of the residence were arrested for production of pot.

A search warrant was obtained and executed later in the day. Some 219 marijuana plants in various stages of production, 2.5 kilograms of bud, and marijuana-production equipment were seized from the shop.

The value of drugs seized is estimated to be around $140,000.

Charges of production of marijuana and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking are being recommended to federal Crown against a 36-year-old female resident and a 32-year-old male resident of Forest Grove. They were released on a promise to appear for a court date in August.