FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) – Fire officials are warning the public about the dangers of cultivating marijuana indoors after a fast-moving fire ripped through a multi-family home in Foxboro on Wednesday.
The fire on Central Street was caused by an unspecified electrical event in the building’s basement, where fire investigators found lighting, a dehumidifier, and other appliances utilized as part of an elaborate marijuana grow operation, according to a joint statement issued by Foxborough Fire Chief Michael Kelleher, Foxborough Police Chief Michael A. Grace, and State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey
“We’re extremely fortunate that this building had working smoke alarms,” Kelleher said. “Electrical fires were the second-leading cause of fire deaths in Massachusetts last year. Overloading an electrical system with multiple appliances, regardless of their purpose, presents a hazard. Powerful lights are heat sources, and combustible items should be kept away from them to avoid a fire.”
Because some cannabis processing methods utilize toxic, flammable, and explosive materials, a state Hazmat team was called to the scene along with Bomb Squad personnel, additional Hazmat technicians, and others who are cross-trained to assess and mitigate these hazards.
“Cannabis extraction methods that use propane, butane, and similar substances are illegal in residential settings because they’re extremely dangerous,” Ostroskey said. “The vapors are highly flammable. If they accumulate in a basement or any enclosed area, they can be ignited by a furnace pilot light or spark, causing a devastating explosion.”
The Dec. 15 fire on Central Street was jointly investigated by the Foxborough Fire and Police departments and the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office.
For more information on cannabis fire safety, visit the DFS website.
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