An explosion rocked a Commerce neighborhood, where firefighters say a marijuana grow house and drug lab was discovered. Lolita Lopez reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2016.
Firefighters protected nearby homes from a fire that began after an explosion Friday morning at what investigators described as a marijuana grow house and drug lab in Commerce.
The fire was reported around 2:41 a.m. in the 5700 block of Jillson Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. It was knocked down around 3 a.m., fire officials said.
One man suspected of being involved with the lab was injured and suffered burns.
Investigators said they discovered evidence indicating the residence was a marijuana grow house and possibly used as a lab to produce honey oil, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Honey oil is extracted from cannabis, a process that often involves butane used as a solvent.
Local and state investigators seized bags of marijuana, burnt butane tanks and equipment like charred hot plates used to make honey oil.
Authorities said a dog and child are believed to live at the home.
Det. Scott Schulze says at least one lab pops up every week in Los Angeles County, from downtown LA to the Antelope Valley.
"Their finished products is 70 to 80 percent pure THC, so it's a huge high for them and much different than smoking regular marijuana," he said.
LIVE on #Periscope: Crime scene investigators taking away evidence from site of explosion. Suspected butane honey o… https://t.co/Me8sfSDcRQ
— Adrian Arambulo (@AdrianNBCLA) February 12, 2016
No other injuries were reported, and other homes in the densely populated neighborhood were not damaged.
