YOUNG CHILDREN FOUND INSIDE DANGEROUS GROW-OP

Three young children were found in an Abbotsford home with dangerously
high levels of carbon monoxide after a marijuana grow operation was
raided on Tuesday evening.

The children - all under the age of 12 - were placed under the care of
other family members by the Ministry Children and Family
development.

Some drug squad officers searching the house in the 3200 block of
Firhill Drive got dizzy, and became concerned over possible high
carbon monoxide levels. The fire department attended and found carbon
monoxide levels above 300 parts per million (ppm) in the basement
where the grow-op was housed, said Lieut. Michelle Jackson of
Abbotsford Fire Rescue.

The consequences could have been life-threatening, Jackson said.
People can experience a severe headache, a sense of dizziness and
nausea, or pass out within three to four hours at readings of between
300 and 400 ppm.

"[It's] a critical point because people may get dizzy and fatigued,"
she said.

"Confusion sets in and people don't have the mental clarity to take
action to save themselves. We find people lying on the floor or couch
hours later because they were overcome."

A child exposed to carbon monoxide levels similar to those at the home
in which the kids were discovered Tuesday might complain of headaches
or tummy aches.

"Children could be experiencing flu like symptoms that would show up
sooner than they would in an healthy adult."

Upon inspection, fire investigators discovered the home's furnace was
altered so it was venting inside the home, rather than outside,
raising the carbon monoxide levels dangerously high.

A man and woman were arrested, and are facing charges of production of
a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of
trafficking.

Jackson advised all residents to install carbon monoxide detectors.