Flames, Explosions Erupt At Commercial Building In Paramount; Drug Operation Found
PARAMOUNT (CBSLA) – A fire tore through the roof of a commercial building in Paramount Monday where authorities say they uncovered a marijuana grow operation.
A Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman said narcotics and organic materials were found inside the building sometime after crews arrived at 10:40 a.m. in the 7300 block of East Somerset Boulevard.
Aerial footage showed huge flames and plumes of black smoke billowing hundreds of feet into the air and dangerously close to several homes that sit adjacent to the building. Neighbors recorded cell phone video of explosions during the course of the fire.
"The flames they were like explosive, and you could hear the explosions, and they were throwing like ashes and stuff all over," one neighbor told CBS2.
One woman told CBS2 she grabbed her dogs and was ready to evacuate at a moment's notice.
Responding firefighters were able to keep the flames from reaching any homes. There were no reported injuries. The blaze was brought under control before 1 p.m.
Investigators believe there was an illegal narcotics operation taking place inside the warehouse.
