Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jun 2005
Source: Richmond Review, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Richmond Public Library
Contact:  http://www.richmondreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/704
Author: Martin van den Hemel
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

MASSIVE GROW-OP FIRE

One of the largest marijuana growing operations ever seen in Richmond went 
up in smoke Sunday morning during a blaze that nearly leveled a warehouse 
north of Bridgeport Road, east of Shell.

Despite witness reports that someone was seen inside the building shortly 
before the fire broke out at around 8:30 a.m. at 11091 Bridgeport Rd., no 
evidence of human remains was found, Richmond RCMP Cpl. Peter Thiessen said 
Tuesday.

Police believe that if someone had been inside the building, they managed 
to get out.

What police investigators did find inside was in the neighbourhood of 3,000 
plant pots, he said.

Nearly the entire eastern half of the building was used to grow the 
marijuana, but how long the operation had been there wasn't known.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and it is unclear whether 
the grow-op was a contributing factor, Thiessen said.

According to Richmond Fire-Rescue's Doug Ross, because the fire was so 
destructive and burned so hot, the cause of the fire and where it 
originated may never be determined.

But the fire is being treated as suspicious.

Ross estimates the replacement value of the building at about $1.4 million, 
and that doesn't include the contents.

Asked what fueled the fire, Ross noted that a motorhome was parked inside 
the building, as well as a Jeep, some forklifts and refrigerators.

The natural gas line to the building had been turned off, he noted.

Some propane tanks in the building exploded during the fire.

One firefighter, who had been inside the burning structure several times, 
exhibited signs of exhaustion and heat stress.

He was monitored by paramedics-under a relatively new B.C. Ambulance 
Service and Richmond Fire-Rescue program aimed at preventing 
firefighting-related exhaustion and injuries-at the scene and was fine.

The building and land is owned by Broadway Properties Ltd. The property 
management company is Gateway Property Management in Delta.

Les Greig, of Broadway Properties, said the building was used for storage 
and was leased out about three or four years ago.

I was in that building a year and a half ago," Greig said. The two level 
structure showed no signs of a marijuana grow-op at that time, he said.

The building was being leased to SuperDave Enterprises, located at 
110-12111 Bridgeport Rd.

When contacted by telephone, a man who identified himself as Dave answered 
but then promptly hung up.

A call to SuperDave's office indicated that he was out of town in the 
Philippines and was due back at the end of the week.

According to Greig, SuperDave purchases equipment from restaurants that 
have closed down and resells them.

This isn't the first time police have been to this warehouse complex, at 
11091 Bridgeport Rd.

In November of 2003, dozens of RCMP officers were involved in an 
investigation after traces of human blood were found inside one of the units.

There were allegations that a crime had taken place inside the building but 
after several days of careful examination, police concluded that nothing 
criminal had taken place.

Police never indicated what the allegations were or who made them.
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