ALLEGED POT FARM UP IN SMOKE AFTER HOUSE CATCHES ON FIRE

PORT ST. LUCIE - To Arthur Roberts, the men who in the gray house
next door were "perfect neighbors."

"They came and went, were very quiet," the 32-year resident said
Thursday. "There weren't any parties going on, no drinking. They had
their garbage out when it should be. They mowed their lawn when it should be."

But inside the home of the "perfect neighbors" in the 200 block of
Southwest Lucero Drive, police turned up a suspected marijuana farm
with about 50 small plants, said Officer Robert Vega, police spokesman.

They also found a "suspicious device" in the home's rear that the St.
Lucie County Sheriff's bomb disposal team detonated. The remains are
expected to be analyzed at the crime laboratory at Indian River
Community College.

Standing at the scene, Vega said the grow house - the 66th uncovered
in the city since May - appeared to be "a fairly new operation."

St. Lucie County Fire District crews uncovered the operation after
responding to the home about 7:15 a.m. for a reported structure fire,
said Capt. Brian Blizzard, fire district spokesman.

Wiring used to power the growing operation apparently sparked the
blaze, which was small but caused extensive smoke and heat damage
throughout the house, Blizzard said.

No one was home when police arrived, and investigators are looking
for those responsible.

According to the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser's Office, the
owners are named Eduardo O. Pochet and Barbara Pochet. They could not
be reached.

It's unclear whether this grow house is connected to the dozens of
others found over the past several months.