Pot raid, power loss and CO poisoning - oh, my!
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- It's the most unusual story involving a marijuana grow, an electrical glitch and a house filled with carbon monoxide.
Medics responded to a local home on Wednesday afternoon to rescue five people from a carbon monoxide-filled home. They found one of the victims convulsing, having taken in too much of the poisonous fumes.
Investigators say the culprit was a generator in a closed garage. It had been emitting the dangerous gas throughout the night. Inside the house, fire officials' meters registered 800 parts per million -- eight times the level experts consider dangerous.
In Federal Way, carbon monoxide poisonings happens about twice a month.
"Maybe it has something to do with the economy. And people have to do without power and they have a generator, so they figure that will help heat their house," said Donna Conner with South King Fire and Rescue.
But this wasn't just a carbon monoxide poisoning case.
I spotted something unusual -- a cease-activity notice on the front door.
It turns out the police had served a search warrant on the house on Tuesday after neighbors suspected there was a marijuana grow inside. Their suspicion that may have been increased by cameras on the house and the garage.
Police searched the home and did, in fact, find marijuana plants and lights. But the owners had a prescription for medical marijuana. As a result, the plants were not confiscated and investigators said no charges would be filed.
However, police did find something else during their search, however -- evidence of an attempt to steal power.
Investigators called Puget Sound Energy, and PSE shut off the power to the house at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday.
In response, the owners powered up a generator, which led to the poisoning.
Four adults and a 16-year-old girl were rescued from the home. They were treated at Harborview Medical Center and in a hyperbaric chamber at Virginia Mason Hospital. They are now in satisfactory condition.
Medics responded to a local home on Wednesday afternoon to rescue five people from a carbon monoxide-filled home. They found one of the victims convulsing, having taken in too much of the poisonous fumes.
Investigators say the culprit was a generator in a closed garage. It had been emitting the dangerous gas throughout the night. Inside the house, fire officials' meters registered 800 parts per million -- eight times the level experts consider dangerous.
In Federal Way, carbon monoxide poisonings happens about twice a month.
"Maybe it has something to do with the economy. And people have to do without power and they have a generator, so they figure that will help heat their house," said Donna Conner with South King Fire and Rescue.
But this wasn't just a carbon monoxide poisoning case.
I spotted something unusual -- a cease-activity notice on the front door.
It turns out the police had served a search warrant on the house on Tuesday after neighbors suspected there was a marijuana grow inside. Their suspicion that may have been increased by cameras on the house and the garage.
Police searched the home and did, in fact, find marijuana plants and lights. But the owners had a prescription for medical marijuana. As a result, the plants were not confiscated and investigators said no charges would be filed.
However, police did find something else during their search, however -- evidence of an attempt to steal power.
Investigators called Puget Sound Energy, and PSE shut off the power to the house at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday.
In response, the owners powered up a generator, which led to the poisoning.
Four adults and a 16-year-old girl were rescued from the home. They were treated at Harborview Medical Center and in a hyperbaric chamber at Virginia Mason Hospital. They are now in satisfactory condition.