From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On 03-28-2013, approximately 1:40 p.m. the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding a house fire on Landis Court, McKinleyville. Initial calls reported there was possibly a person trapped in the home. Sheriff’s deputies, Arcata Fire District personnel and an ambulance responded to the scene. When emergency personnel arrived a few minutes later the 30 year old male victim was located outside the residence with serious burn injuries. The victim was transported to a local hospital and then transferred to an out of the area hospital for treatment. When the fire department began fighting the fire they discovered an indoor marijuana grow in the residence. Deputies stood by until Arcata Fire District suppressed the fire.

The Sheriff’s Office Community Response Unit (C.R.U.) and Humboldt County Drug Task Force (H.C.D.T.F.) were notified and responded to the scene. A Humboldt County Superior Court search warrant was obtained for the residence. After the fire was out and the residence was safe to enter deputies entered the residence. They located and seized evidence indicating there was a butane hashish lab in the home, along with approximately 17 pounds of marijuana leaves, 188 growing marijuana plants approximately two feet tall and 176 marijuana plants (clones) approximately 3” tall.

The cause and origin of the fire is still under investigation by the Arcata Fire District.

Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251, Arcata Fire District 825-2000 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.