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Heidi Hoffman / The Herald  (click to enlarge)
Police uncovered a marijuana growing operation at a Lynnwood house after firefighters responded to a fire in the 15100 block of 23rd Place W. on Friday.
 
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CONTACT THE HERALD
Robert Frank, City Editor
frank@heraldnet.com
 
Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009

Fire tips police to Lynnwood pot farm

LYNNWOOD — Police on Friday uncovered a major commercial marijuana growing operation that sparked a house fire in Lynnwood.

Firefighters responded before 8 a.m. to an unoccupied home in the 15100 block of 23rd Place W., Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said.

An electrical problem sparked the blaze that caused $30,000 damage in a bathroom, she said.

Firefighters found more than just the fire.

Five rooms in the home were full of marijuana plants, said Lt. Mark St. Clair with the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force.

Officials obtained a search warrant and removed the plants and growing equipment as evidence. Officials say there were several hundred plants at the home.

It also appeared that power was diverted to the home. Illegal growing operations often steal power to save on electricity costs, St. Clair said.

Fires are just one of the risks associated with the illegal operations, he said. Overloaded electrical circuits often spark blazes.

Powerful pesticides and chemicals also are used to grow the plants, he said.

“There definitely is a danger to the neighborhood and community,” St. Clair said.

Illegal growing operations are also often the site of violent crimes. Two people were gunned down in July 2007 in an Everett home where police found 800 marijuana plants. The deaths were linked to a major regional drug operation.



Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.

COMMENTS

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(No heading)
Legalize it and all of this will stop! No more fires due to illegal electricity. No more violence associated with illegal grow operations. No more WASTING BILLIONS OF TAX DOLLARS on fighting this ridiculous "fight!" For God's sake will someone with some authority please speak up and get the ball rolling TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANNA and STOP THE INSANITY!!!! Our economy could really use the boost right about now!
Pat Clark | Nov 23, 2009 11:59 am | 0 replies | Request removal

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Dusted Pot
It's true, I heard that in order to prevent plages of locus from ravishing their indoor grow opearations they dust the plants with Powerful chemicals like PCP.
paul crandall | Nov 22, 2009 4:15 am | 2 replies | Request removal

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(No heading)
A major operation is discovered and dismantled. Due to the laws of supply and demand, the price of the product will go up, right?

In spite of the War on Drugs, the street price of marijuana has remained constant for at least 25 years - approximately $300 for an ounce or $40 for an eighth of an ounce.

If the War on Drugs was having ANY impact, prices would go up as availability goes down. Instead, demand has skyrocketed - and so has availability.

The government completely misses an enormous source of both reaping the benefits of a new source of tax revenues while simultaneously saving the money currently wasted investigating, prosecuting and incarcerating those running marijuana operations.

Doug Vavrick | Nov 21, 2009 4:58 pm | 0 replies | Request removal

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(No heading)
"Powerful pesticides and chemicals also are used to grow the plants, he said."

Exactly what type of powerful chemicals are used in growing pot? the reporter clearly does not ask or dare question the authorities on the matter, just seems to go along with the continued Government fear mongering.
If you want to say Marijuana grows can cause a fire OK but to say powerful pesticides and chemicals are used is just wrong.

rick oliver | Nov 21, 2009 4:35 pm | 0 replies | Request removal

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steal power to do what?
it also appeared that power was diverted to the home. Illegal growing operations often steal power to save on electricity costs, St. Clair said
======================

Save electricity? I think they could make enough money to pay electric bills. It is the FACT that it will draw attention to grower if electric bill spikes more then 3 or 5 hundred a month from the year before.

So St. Clair you should get facts before inserting foot in your own backside.

lol

Craig French | Nov 21, 2009 2:27 pm | 0 replies | Request removal

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