UPSHUR COUNTY, Texas – Authorities in Upshur County are investigating an explosion that led to the discovery of an indoor marijuana grow operation. According to the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers received a call about an explosion and a vehicle speeding away from the scene on Saturday, Jan. 27 around 5:30 p.m.
Responding firefighters discovered that the home, along with a detached building on the property, were being used to grow marijuana plants as they searched for injured or trapped persons. District Attorney Billy Byrd helped investigators in obtaining a search warrant to begin a criminal investigation into the location once the fire was extinguished.
Inside the home and the detached building, authorities found more than 70 suspected marijuana plants, ranging in size from recently harvested remnants to some more than 6 feet tall. Thousands of dollars worth of equipment and electronics were also found to power the location and provide artificial sunlight for the plants, according to the UCSO.
Although nobody was on the property when the fire occurred, the cause of the explosion is still under investigation. Propane canisters were found inside the structures, leading authorities to consider the possibility of a leaking canister contributing to the blaze. However, this has not been conclusively determined at this time.
The investigation into the explosion and the indoor marijuana grow operation is ongoing as authorities work to piece together what happened and who may be responsible for the operation. No further details have been released as of yet.