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Grow operation goes up in smoke

 

An apparently legal medical marijuana growing operation in El Verano went up in smoke Thursday evening.

The blaze, in the 19199 block of Bay Street, heavily damaged a two-car garage where the grow operation was housed, but the fire didn't spread to an adjoining residence.

According to Division Chief Bob Norrbom, with the Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue Authority, the blaze apparently started when one of the lamps came in contact with part of the growing tent set up inside the garage.

There were no injuries.

Norrbom said the fire put out a lot of smoke from the plastic tent catching fire.

He said deputies were contacted and they decided that the number of plants was within what the law allows.

Norrbom put the damage to the garage at under $50,000.

Firefighters were at the scene almost immediately as the blaze was only about a block-and-a-half from Station #2. Firefighters got the call at 8:08 p.m. and were on scene in two minutes. the blaze was under control before 8:30. They were on the scene for about an hour with six engines including the hook-and-ladder.