Blaze reveals cannabis operation

POLICE and firefighters were called out to a house fire only to find a cannabis factory.

POLICE and firefighters were called out to a house fire only to find a cannabis factory .

Officers retrieved 20 cannabis plants from the property in Packman Road, Wath, and a 27-year-old man was arrested and later bailed to return to police custody.

The fire caused substantial damage to the property and the road was closed for several hours while emergency services dealt with the incident.

The cause of the fire is believed to be due to the overloading of circuits and plug sockets to facilitate the production and growth of cannabis.

Temporary Det Insp David Turner said: “The production of cannabis is a serious enough matter in the first instance and police officers in Rotherham are conducting search warrants and seizures on a regular basis.

“Together with the fire, believed to have been caused by negligent and reckless acts of overloading electricity systems and we have an added risk to neighbours and families.

"It is only due to swift attendance of the emergency services that a more serious incident did not develop here."

Police advise the public to be aware of the risks associated with, not only the use of illicit drugs but specifically the fire hazards linked to the production of cannabis.

Police urge anybody with information or concerns to get in touch by calling 101 call contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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