A cannabis grow warehouse in East Oakland went up in smoke early on the morning of 4/20 – culturally known as a stoner party to celebrate marijuana.
The fire broke out shortly after 4:20 a.m. in an RV parked directly across the street from the warehouse, located at 1000 40th Ave. in East Oakland. Ten fire trucks and nearly 60 firefighters responded to the three-alarm blaze and had it under control by 6:05 a.m., Oakland Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt said.
No injuries were reported.
Juana Ochoa lives two doors down from the cannabis cultivation facility. She woke up early to loud pops and initially thought someone was lighting fireworks. When she opened her front door to look outside, she saw an RV on her street catching fire.
Ochoa watched as flames climbed toward electrical wires hanging above two streetlights. The wires started sparking, she said, then fell onto the warehouse, which then caught fire.
Ochoa, who has lived on that street with her family for 20 years, said she often sees some homeless people living in RVs lighting fires to keep warm.
“They often leave fires burning all night and leave,” Ochoa said. “There you go, you expose everyone to danger, and look what happens.”
It is unclear whether the cannabis cultivation site was legally permitted. A security guard on site said the owners were “just starting” their business.
Marijuana is legal in California, but business owners must obtain licenses and permits to grow the plant commercially.
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