Pubdate: Wed, 05 Apr 2006
Source: North Shore News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 North Shore News
Contact:  http://www.nsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/311
Author: James Weldon
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

W. VAN BLAST OPENS DOOR TO POT BUST

WEST Vancouver's British Properties neighbourhood was rocked by a 
loud detonation Monday afternoon when a home housing a suspected 
marijuana grow operation exploded.

The detonation, which happened in the 700-block of Andover Crescent, 
left the two-storey wood framed house in ruins, and shattered windows 
in two neighbouring homes.

One man was rushed to hospital with serious burns. He was listed in 
stable condition.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, since the 
explosion had left the home unsafe for fire investigators to enter. 
At press time, West Vancouver police and fire departments were 
waiting for an engineering report that would detail how to shore up 
the home in order to allow entry.

In the meantime, West Vancouver police have obtained a search warrant 
for the residence.

The explosion was a remarkably powerful one, said Captain Martin 
Ernst, spokesman for the West Vancouver Fire and Rescue service.

"One south-facing wall literally blew out of the home and was lying 
on the deck," he said. Another wall was bulging dangerously, and 
glass had been thrown more than a hundred feet from the building.

"This was not a low-quality explosion, but something very, very 
powerful," said Ernst.

Police estimate damage to the home at more than $100,000.

The injured man, described by police only as a 34-year-old Vancouver 
resident, was conscious and distraught when paramedics arrived. He is 
expected to survive, but his injuries were extremely severe.

"Unfortunately, I can say quite confidently that this gentleman will 
have a long road to recovery," said Ernst.

No charges have been laid yet, but authorities are proceeding with an 
investigation, said Const. Jeff Palmer, speaking for the West Vancouver police.

While investigators could not say for certain that the home had been 
the site of a grow operation, a number of clues pointed in that 
direction, said Palmer.

Marijuana plants were found in the debris around the building, and on 
a brief walk through, Ernst found what appeared to be hydroponic 
equipment, illegal wiring, and propane tanks, all of which point to 
the possibility of a grow op.

"There was a kind of musty, skunky smell in the air as well," said 
Ernst. "Definitely the home is not your average single-family home at 
this point."

The explosion had apparently been followed by a flash fire, which 
extinguished itself almost immediately upon ignition.

Grow ops are highly prone to accidents of this type, said Ernst. A 
lot of growers use propane inside their homes to help improve 
production. The fuel produces carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and 
moisture when burned, all of which accelerate plant growth. Growers 
also may use propane stoves to cook, because all the home's 
electricity is being used for the hydroponics.

"In every manual and text you read about the dangers of grow 
operations, explosions are usually number 2 or 3 in risk factors for 
sure," said Ernst.

The (propane) gas, he said, stays close to the ground, increasing the 
odds of a leak encountering a source of ignition. Since the gas 
expands to 270 times its volume when released, the power of the 
resulting blast can be staggering.

"Imagine a 20-pound barbecue tank," said Ernst. "You basically put 
270 of those tanks in a circle and that's your blast radius. . . . 
People underestimate the power of propane."

This accident just goes to show that the problem is one people should 
take seriously, said Ernst.

"Any neighbour noticing blinds pulled all the time, noticing strange 
activity at a home, tin foil and moisture over windows should give 
their local police a call," he said.

"Grow operations get set up in very low-rent districts and they get 
set up in very high-rent areas, but I think you can also say they get 
set up anywhere these days, and people have to be aware.

"It doesn't matter how big or small it is, the products that are 
being used inside can be dangerous," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom