STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) -- An increasing number of illegal marijuana grow operations in metro Detroit are putting local firefighters at risk.
Fire officials in Sterling Heights and across the region have been called out to hundreds of homes for fires and other issues connected to residents illegally growing pot, WWJ’s Charlie Langton reports.
Sterling Heights Fire Marshal Shawn Allen says along with electrical cords overheating, they have also had calls about natural gas leaks from generators that don't have shutoff valves.
“It’s hurting the quality of life in a lot of the subdivisions, and it’s a fire hazard for the fire department,” Allen said.
On Wednesday, an illegal grow operation was revealed when a garbage truck lost control at 15 Mile and Mound roads and struck the side of a building, exposing dozens of hidden marijuana plants.
The operation is just one of the hundreds that have been reported in Sterling Heights this year.
Fire Marshal Shawn Allen says fire inspectors, DTE investigators, and local police are all working together to crack down on the illicit operations.
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