MAN FACES 16 CHARGES IN GROW OP ARSON

Police Say Accused Fled Home Without Calling 911

A 33-year-old man now charged in connection with the massive fire that
ripped through a northwest neighbourhood in December discovered the
blaze in the basement marijuana grow op he was allegedly operating --
but fled the scene without calling 911 or alerting his neighbours, say
investigators.

This is according to police who charged the suspect on Wednesday with
16 counts of arson by negligence in what is likely one of the largest
fires in Western Canada to be caused by a marijuana grow operation.

"Everyone on the street is asleep, so that is extremely dangerous,"
Calgary police arson unit Det. Scott Sampson said of the suspect's
alleged actions during the early morning blaze that destroyed or
damaged eight homes.

He added those who run grow ops "are just worried about themselves,
they're worried about being caught for a grow operation, and people's
lives, neighbours, kids, are left hanging."

The blaze, which caused $3.8 million in damage, began Dec. 5 shortly
before 4 a.m. at a home on Citadel Forest Place. It quickly spread as
neighbouring residents fled with little more than the clothes on their
backs.

Firefighters fought not only the flames, but high winds, access to
fire hydrants and snow that hampered fire trucks. When the blaze was
extinguished, five homes were left demolished, with three others
damaged. Eleven people were homeless, with four dogs and eight cats
killed.

The suspect was renting the home where the fire started, and also
faces charges of producing drugs and stealing electricity.

Sampson described how it took investigators almost 10 days "to get
into the scene." The scene was covered in tarps and heated to melt the
metre of ice in the basement.

"Through that three feet of ice we were actually able to find all the
components that were needed for a marijuana grow operation," he said.

Investigators found five "severe" electrical deficiencies, any one of
which could have resulted in a fire, Sampson said.

Police busted a grow op at the same home in 2007, when it was under
different ownership. The house was subsequently renovated.

One of those who lost their house in the blaze was Kim Stobbe, who
escaped with her daughter and parents. She was appalled to learn the
arson suspect allegedly fled the scene.

"That's horrible. He obviously doesn't care about other people. That's
pretty heartless," said Stobbe, adding she and her family are living
in a house rented by the insurance company.

Sampson said grow ops are 20 times as likely to catch fire as a normal
residence.

Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart said grow ops use large amounts of power.
She wants the province to bring in legislation so power companies are
forced to disclose to authorities when a residence is consuming
unusually high amounts of electricity.

"It's pretty simple. If these people don't have electricity, and we
just turn out the lights, then we can bring organized crime to its
knees."