Marijuana Grow House Overloads Power Grid, Causes Fire: Sheriff

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A San Jacinto home that overloaded a nearby power grid until it burst into flames was later discovered to be an illegal marijuana grow operation leading to the arrest of two men, sheriff's officials said Sunday.

The fire occurred at about 9:10 a.m. Saturday, and crews from Southern California Edison later traced the excess power usage to a home in the 1100 block of Enchanted Trails, officials said.

When deputies served a search warrant at the location, they found seven makeshift grow rooms with 1,010 marijuana plants at various stages of growth, as well as miscellaneous growing equipment, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

SCE crews also determined that $45,000 worth of electricity had been stolen by an illegal electrical bypass underneath the home's electrical meter, sheriff's officials said.

Two men who were inside the home were arrested, though deputies were unable to identify one of the men.

Stan Ly, 64, of Rosemead and the other suspect were booked into the Larry Smith Correctional Facility on suspicion of maintaining a drug house, theft of utilities, marijuana cultivation and marijuana sales.

—City News Service