BLAST DESTROYS BRITISH PROPERTIES HOME WITH SUSPECTED
MARIJUANA-GROWING OPERATION

WEST VANCOUVER - West Vancouver's British Properties neighbourhood
was rocked by a loud detonation Monday afternoon when a home with a
suspected marijuana grow operation exploded.

The detonation, which happened in the 700-block of Andover Crescent,
left the two-storey wood framed house in ruins and shattered windows
in two neighbouring homes.

One man was taken to hospital with serious burns. He was listed in
stable condition.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, since the
explosion had left the home unsafe for fire investigators to enter.
At press time, West Vancouver police and fire departments were
waiting for an engineering report that would detail how to shore up
the home in order to allow entry.

In the meantime, West Vancouver police have obtained a search warrant
for the residence.

The explosion was a remarkably powerful one, said Captain Martin
Ernst, spokesman for the West Vancouver Fire and Rescue service.

"One south-facing wall literally blew out of the home and was lying
on the deck," he said. Another wall was bulging dangerously, and
glass had been thrown more than 30 metres from the building. Police
estimate damage to the home at more than $100,000.

The injured man, described by police only as a 34-year-old Vancouver
resident, was conscious and distraught when paramedics arrived. He is
expected to survive, but his injuries were extremely severe.