ROSEVILLE, Mich. (WWJ) -- An investigation is underway at an industrial building in Roseville after an illegal marijuana grow operation went up in smoke Tuesday night.
Roseville Deputy Police Chief Mitch Berlin tells WWJ a fire broke out around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday in the building on Parkway Drive, near 12 Mile and Groesbeck.
Roseville fire crews and several neighboring departments responded to the scene and quickly extinguished the blaze.
Once the fire was put out, crews found what Berlin says was a large, “100% illegal” marijuana growing operation. There were no growing permits or occupancy permits, according to Berlin.
Investigators found a mess of illegal and shoddy electrical wiring, which may have sparked the fire. Berlin says they’re lucky no firefighters or investigators were electrocuted.
He tells WWJ they were also lucky the fire didn’t spread to a nearby condo complex.
“It does pose a significant danger,” Berlin said. “We’re lucky that the fire department got there as quickly as they did and had the right equipment and the right manpower to extinguish it.”
Berlin says crews found a large amount of butane inside the building, which is used to make hash oil. Had it exploded, it could have spread to that complex.
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Crews were still investigating Wednesday afternoon and it was not exactly clear how much marijuana was inside the building, but Berlin says there was “a large amount” of usable and dried marijuana.
Firefighters were wearing masks and Berlin does not believe any of them were affected by marijuana, as most of the fire was contained to areas of the building where the marijuana was not kept.
Investigators were still working to identify those involved in the grow operation.
While there is a legal medical marijuana facility in Roseville, Berlin says there are no recreational facilities in the city and this operation had no medical licenses.