Dennis RomeroA possible marijuana grow house in Silver Lake went up in flames this evening.
The fire at 3940 Sunset Dr. was reported at 6 p.m., said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott. Reports of explosions coming from inside the home were widespread, and the fire department acknowledged the accounts.
The fire was knocked down in 19 minutes, Scott said. No injuries were reported.
Such explosions could be consistent with butane extraction labs, used to turn marijuana into concentrated cannabis products known as wax, shatter, dabs, and honey oil.
News footage showed that the two-story home appeared to have many marijuana plants on the property, including inside a backyard pool that had been covered.
Credit: L.A. Weekly photo by Besha Rodell
Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Tony Im told us, “It looks like marijuana plants, but I'm not there to verify that.”
He said any inquiries would probably be headed up by LAFD arson investigators because arson is a higher-level allegation than growing pot.
However, police detectives would help out if the fire department requested assistance, he said.
UPDATE at 6:18 p.m., Monday, April 27, 2015: The address for the fire was corrected by the LAFD, and we updated our story to reflect that.
Also, the department said in a statement over the weekend that “hundreds of small butane canisters exploded in the blaze, and dozens of marijuana plants were located.”
The cause of the blaze was still under investigation.
Send feedback and tips to the author. Follow Dennis Romero on Twitter at @dennisjromero. Follow L.A. Weekly News on Twitter at @laweeklynews.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.