Explosion in Dana Point home injures one, authorities say possible THC extraction lab
By Andrea Papagianis
Authorities are investigating whether a Tuesday afternoon explosion in Capistrano Beach was a result of an extraction of THC from marijuana using butane gas gone awry, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Twitter feed.
A 31-year-old man suffered severe burns after an explosion set a single-family home on the 26800 block of Vista del Mar up in flames Tuesday around noon.
The man was treated at the scene and transported to the burn unit at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, said Orange County Fire Authority spokesman Steve Concialdi. No other injuries were reported.
OCSD spokesman Jeff Hallock could not be reached for comment.
A single, large blast shook residents and shattered windows in nearby homes and businesses along surrounding Capo Beach streets and sent debris high into the air.
“We felt an explosion that shook the whole house underneath us,” said Eddie Edwards, who lives nearby on Camino Capistrano.
The home, located between Calle del Sol and Calle Verano was quickly engulfed in flames as nearby neighbors rushed to the scene to look for occupants.
Soon after the explosion, OCFA received multiple calls reporting the incident, and approximately 60 south Orange County firefighters were sent to the two-alarm blaze, Concialdi said. When fire crews arrived on scene, black smoke billowed from the home and its garage door was found blown off and lying in the alleyway.
“All of our windows broke from the explosion, our bedroom door popped open,” said next-door neighbor Ashley Link, who lives in a two-story duplex with her fiancée. “We look over and our next door neighbor’s garage had just exploded.”
While the fire’s cause is still under investigation, authorities confirmed butane and propane gas tanks were found on the property. The sheriff’s department Hazardous Devices Section that handles explosive devices was onsite Tuesday evening assisting the OCFA investigation.
Officials initially said the family owned a catering business, which neighbors confirmed, leading to a possible explanation for the butane and propane tanks.
But as the OCSD’s Twitter posts indicated Tuesday evening, investigators have cause to believe the home was the site of a drug lab, designed to extract THC from marijuana leaves—to create a concentrated oil, known as hash or honey oil. The finished product contains a higher level of the active ingredient in marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol.
Stick with www.danapointtimes.com and www.twitter.com/danapointtimes for updates.
Related Story:
One Injured in Capo Beach House Fire Tuesday Afternoon, Authorities Confirm
Correction: An early version of this story said 70 firefighters responded to the the fire. According to an update from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, 60 regional firefighters responded.
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