(AP) LOS ANGELES – Police hauled bags of marijuana out of a fire-gutted warehouse Thursday after firefighters discovered a full-blown pot farm inside, authorities said.
About 1,000 plants with a street value of $1 million were found after firefighters doused the blaze, police officer Tenesha Dobine said.
It was unclear how much marijuana might have been destroyed in the fire, she said.
The immature, 4- to 6-inch-high plants were grown in an elaborate hydroponic setup and investigators were trying to determine whether electrical equipment used in the operation may have sparked the fire, police and fire officials said.
"They had lights and an air conditioning system for the plants and a whole water circulation system," Los Angeles fire Capt. Henry Amaran told KCAL-TV.
No arrests were immediately made.
Flames and heavy smoke were pouring through the roof when firefighters arrived at the one-story commercial building near the Los Angeles River shortly after 6:40 a.m., fire Capt. Steve Ruda said.
It took 75 firefighters about 40 minutes to douse the blaze.
The roof collapsed and the 100-by-150-foot building was gutted but no firefighters were injured, Ruda said.
Ruda said half of the building was vacant and had a "for lease" sign up.
The other half of the building contained the marijuana farm.
