Two adults injured, children endangered in suspected hash oil lab explosion
A honey (hash) oil lab being operated in a Marysville motel room is suspected of causing an explosion that injured two people and endangered young children, according to a press release from the Marysville Police Department.
Officers went to the Budget Inn Motel,
230 E St., at 9 a.m. Monday to investigate what was reported as a vandalism. Officers found the front and back windows of a room blown out and, according to the news release, evidence indicated the damage was due to the explosion of a hash oil lab. In honey (or hash) oil labs, which are illegal, highly volatile chemicals may be used to extract THC – the active ingredient – from marijuana.
Two adult males, an adult female and two
children under two years old were in the room at the time of the explosion, it was reported.
Brenda Pitkin, 36, and Leo Arnold, 42, both of Marysville went to the emergency room at Adventist Health/rideout before officers arrived and as of late Monday were being treated for second and thirddegree burns.
Shane Russ, 25, of Marysville was still at the motel with his two children when police arrived. None of those three were injured. Russ was arrested and booked into Yuba County Jail for child endangerment and manufacturing a controlled substance. The children were taken by Child Protective Services, which worked to reunite the children with another family member, according to the release.
Once Pitkin and Arnold are released from the hospital, they both will be charged with child endangerment and manufacturing a controlled substance, according to the news release.
Yuba-sutter NET-5 and the Marysville Fire Department assisted in the case.