House Fire Caused By Stolen Power For Pot Patch

House Fire Caused By Stolen Power For Pot Patch
Reporting
Mike Dello Stritto CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. (CBS13) ―

Firefighters found marijuana plants in a Citrus Heights home after they extinguished a dangerous house fire, but the pot wasn't the problem. Someone was stealing power to grow medicinal marijuana, and that haphazard wiring could land them in trouble.

"We're all lucky we didn't come out here and pull dead bodies out of this house," said Sac Metro Fire Captain Christian Pebbles. "It's really severe. It's not just a couple of overloaded strip plugs."

Firefighters say someone stole the power the power straight from a SMUD electrical box, and the homemade electrical system finally went haywire on Monday.

"I'm blown away that this place didn't burn to the ground because of the electrical conditions and the violations that are in there," Capt. Pebbles said. "It's just unbelievable."

The medicinal pot is legal, according to firefighters, but the power wiring could have been lethal. "This is a growing problem," Capt. Pebbles said.

"And I don't mean that literally," he added.

Sac Metro firefighters have seen several similar pot power problems in just the past six months, which now leads them to issue an extremely unusual public safety message.

"If you're going to grow marijuana in your house, make sure your electricity is done properly," Capt. Pebbles said.

The homeowner could face charges for stealing the electricity.

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