High times in LA: Illegal cannabis operation goes up in smoke, sending black plumes across city
You could get high off the fumes alone.
An illegal cannabis operation went to pot when it caught fire in Los Angeles over the weekend, sending massive plumes of smoke across the city and five firefighters to the hospital from burning sulfuric acid.
The two-story industrial building in the Central Industrial District went up in flames Saturday morning, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
Firefighters forced their way into the 69-year-old downtown building around 8 a.m. — then a sudden shift in wind caused five of them to become enveloped in sulfuric acid.
The dangerous substance caused them to “experience a burning sensation to their faces and extremities, and in at least one case, respiratory irritation,” the department said.
The injured firefighters were taken to an area hospital to receive treatment and have since been released.
About 145 firefighters were able to tackle the blaze in just under an hour, officials said.
A pair of cadaver detection dogs were brought in after witnesses said they saw people in the building at the time of the fire, but the specially trained pooches did not discover any human remains.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
