Pubdate: Sat, 19 Aug 2006
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Nadia Moharib, Sun Media
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

DOPE MAKERS BURNED: COPS

Smoke May Have Set Off Blast

CALGARY -- One of five people hurt during a botched effort to 
manufacture illicit drugs may have sparked an explosion when they 
tried to light a smoke, say fire and police officials.

Three of those people were still in hospital in critical condition 
yesterday with second- and third-degree burns.

Two others were treated and released.

Det. Sid Procee with the joint forces arson unit said the 
individuals, two youths and three adults, are lucky to be alive.

"This could have been fatal for all of them," he said. "It is very 
fortunate the individuals were not killed."

Manufacturing hash oil is both reckless and dangerous, and puts many 
people in the area in danger, Procee said. In this case, drug-related 
and arson charges are pending, he said.

Thursday night's flash-fire in the garage caused about $3,000 in 
damages to the garage.

Insp. Shaun Gissing said there are about five incidents a year where 
people are hurt or buildings damaged when explosions and fires result 
while people - many using recipes found on the Internet - try to make 
hash oil by using flammable solvents to turn marijuana leaves into a 
liquid cannabis resin.

And those, he said, are only the cases reported to cops, he said.

"I personally once spoke to a guy who had both corneas burned out of 
his eyes," Gissing said.

"Again and again I've seen this blow up in the faces of people 
involved ... I don't think people truly understand the danger."

Procee said the victims have yet to be interviewed to determine what 
caused the explosion, but investigators have not ruled out 
preliminary suspicions that one of them sparked the explosion when he 
lit a cigarette.

The explosion was so violent it blew out the overhead door, ejecting 
one of the victims out of the garage, Gissing said.

Nearly three kilograms of marijuana was seized from the garage.
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