Police Investigating Hash Oil Explosion

Written by Neil Farrell

Neil has been a journalist covering the Estero Bay Area for over 27 years. He’s won numerous journalism awards in several different categories over his career.

October 23, 2020

Morro Bay Police are investigating a report of an explosion at a mobile home park that appears to have been the result of someone trying to make hash oil from marijuana.

According to MBPD Cmdr. Amy Watkins, at 8:18 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12 police received a 9-1-1 report of a possible explosion at a trailer park in the 400 block of Atascadero Rd.
The fire department responded first but didn’t find any indications of an explosion and no active fires in any of the trailers. They did however uncover some possible nefarious activity.

“Fire arrived on scene to no active fire,” Said Cmdr. Watkins, “however, they located items used to extract honey oil from marijuana. MBPD Officers arrived on scene and began an investigation into what had occurred.”

A half hour later, a man arrived at Sierra Vista ER with apparently severe burns to his hands and face.
“MBPD responded and contacted the male and two additional subjects, a female and male who transported the burned male,” Cmdr. Watkins explained. “The burned male was transported to a burn center at a Fresno area hospital.”

The County Narcotics Task Force responded to the trailer park “to investigate the possible BHO activity” (BHO is “Butane Hash Oil”).”
No arrests have been made, and police continue to investigate the incident and according to witnesses, “an explosion occurred in the park. No additional injuries, homes or property were damaged as a result of the explosion,” Cmdr. Watkins said.
Police did not release the name of the suspiciously burned man or the two who took him to the hospital.

According to the marijuana industry website, weedmaps.com, “Butane Hash Oil” or BHO is an extract, “which is a type of cannabis concentrate that’s produced using solvents.”
However, “Butane is a highly flammable substance and hash oil production is extremely dangerous if done by inexperienced technicians with improper equipment and ill-equipped facilities.”

Anyone who has any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Morro Bay Police Department at (805) 772-6225 or Crime Stoppers at (805)549-STOP.

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