For the third time this month by our count, suspects allegedly extracting hash or honey oil from marijuana set off an explosion.

The latest blast happened at the Heritage Inn near SeaWorld in San Diego yesterday. Police told the Weekly three people in a room where hash oil was being extracted were injured.

The explosion and subsequent fire were reported to authorities …

]



View Larger Map

… at 11:12 a.m., San Diego police Det. Gary S. Hassen told the Weekly. He said the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was taking over the investigation.

Three people were hospitalized, with at least two of those being considered possible suspects, he said.

Hassen confirmed that one of those three was seen by witnesses fleeing the room in flames.

The subsequent hotel fire in the 3300 block of Channel Way prompted authorities to evacuate the Inn.

The San Diego Fire Department reported that at least one of the three “suffered traumatic injuries.”

Hassen indicated to us that butane appeared to have ignited:

They were extracting hashish oil and someone was smoking and it blew up.

Oops.

San Diego Fire Department spokesman Maurice Luque also alleged that the …

… blast / fire was caused by couple in room processing hash oil from marijuana when man lit cigarette igniting butane gas being used.

He said a “21-year-old man and a woman in her 20s from the room where explosion occurred” were injured.

Luque told the Weekly that a 21-year-old from an adjoining room was also injured when the explosion “blew out three walls/windows in three room son the second floor of the three-story building.”

Damage was estimated to be in the $600,000 range, Luque said.

Just last weekend a West Hollywood apartment blast was blamed on honey-oil extraction.

And on Jan. 6 three men were badly burned in Monrovia following another, alleged honey-oil extraction blast in that San Gabriel Valley city.

Butane is used to make hash oil: Experts told us that experienced makers usually work outdoors because the gas is so volatile.

The resulting, potent oil or wax is sold in some SoCal medical marijuana dispensaries.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.