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Marijuana grow op discovered during basement fire

Posted at 11:36 AM, Oct 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-20 11:36:14-04

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Investigators say they discovered a marijuana grow operation Tuesday night after responding to a house fire.

The Battle Creek Fire Department responded October 18th to reports of a house fire on SeNour Ave just before 8:00pm.  First responders found no one inside the residence when they arrived. It is not known at this time if anyone was home at the time the fire was actually started.

Once the fire crews made entry into the home, they found heavy smoke and a small fire burning in an empty front room.  Crews used a thermal imaging camera to see that the fire was coming from the basement.

A second crew eventually got into the crew and made their way into the basement.  They say the fire down there was small and appeared to be caused by marijuana grow materials that were being stored.  The materials had ignited and seemed to be burning through the floor above.  Fertilizer and other grow materials found by crews suggest the home was being used as a marijuana ‘grow house’.

Crews were on scene of the fire for about two hours Tuesday night.

The Battle Creek Fire Marshall and Police Department are investigating this incident.