POT EXPLOSION, ARSON BEHIND WEEKEND FIRES

No One Hurt in Simultaneous Unrelated Blazes

Lacombe Globe - Arson and an explosion caused by a marijuana-related
project were at the root of two fires that happened simultaneously in
separate parts of Lacombe on March 5.

Lacombe police determined the causes last week after thorough investigation.

The explosion happened in a home on 48th Avenue just after 8 p.m.

According to Lacombe police chief Bill Zens, the residents were trying to
extract resin from a marijuana plant. They had used butane to heat the
plant, placed the heated bowl in a refrigerator and left the house at about
6:30 p.m.

The explosion came an hour and a half later, possibly caused when a spark
from the refrigerator's cooling cycle ignited the butane fumes, according
to police and firefighters at the scene. The explosion moved a wall inside
the house six inches.

No one was home at the time of the incident, said Zens.

No charges could be laid since the explosion destroyed the substance and
the evidence.

Lacombe firefighters were already on their way to another fire across town
when the explosion occurred.

The other blaze was in a scrap-wood trailer parked inside a fenced area on
the east side of Lacombe Composite High School (LCHS).

School resource officer Const. Rick Kohut arrested two male LCHS students
on March 11 in connection with the blaze. Both admitted to taking part in
starting the fire.

The file was forwarded to the Crown so a recommendation on the disposition
of punishment could be made.