Marijuana labs spawn lethal explosions

An explosion that destroyed a New York City home and killed a firefighter has drawn attention to marijuana-making methods that are legal in many states, but can also be lethal.

A New York fire battalion chief died responding to the blast Tuesday in a Bronx home that authorities say had been converted into an indoor marijuana farm. They’re investigating whether the alleged growers tampered with gas lines and mishandled other materials.

Indoor marijuana farmers can create potential fire hazards by using natural gas, propane or butane to power carbon dioxide generators that make the plants grow. In recent years across the country, similar methods used to produce more potent marijuana extracts have resulted in explosions.

Indoor gas use “is a standard way to grow marijuana,” says Michael O’Hare, a professor at the University of California in Berkeley who is an expert in cannabis cultivation.