Pubdate: Sat, 09 Feb 2013
Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA)
Copyright: 2013 The Press Democrat
Contact:  http://www.pressdemocrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348
Author: Martin Espinoza

LARGE MARIJUANA GROW FOUND IN BURNING SONOMA HOUSE

Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue and Sonoma County Sheriff's officials
are investigating a Saturday morning fire in an unoccupied hillside
home in Fetters Hot Springs where substantial amounts of marijuana
were being grown, officials said.

Reports of the fire at 17270 Keaton Ave. came in at 7:16 a.m. The
first Sonoma Valley Fire engine arrived six minutes later, said
Division Chief Bob Norrbom.

Norrbom said that when crews arrived the first and second floors in
the back of the building were burning. Crews immediately worked to
keep the fire from spreading to nearby residences. He said it was
difficult to gain access to the house because the person or people
responsible for the marijuana grow operation boarded up all the
windows and doors.

"Our normal routes of entry were all blocked so we had to cut a hole
through the metal garage door," Norrbom said.

He said no one was inside the home, which is located on a hillside
with the third floor at street level. He said there were anywhere from
500 to 1,000 marijuana plants inside the house and that nearly every
room on the first and second floor "had some kind of marijuana grow
going on."

"It was very challenging to get into the building to knock the fire
out," he said, adding that the fire was controlled after about 40 minutes.

Crews from the Glen Ellen and Shell-Vista fire protection districts
assisted in battling the fire with one engine each, he said.

Norrbom said it appears the fire began on the first floor but its
cause is still under investigation. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D