Approximately 7,000 marijuana plants were seized for destruction on Monday, September 14, 2020 by Ontario Provincial Police following a suspicious barn fire over the weekend in Hamilton Township.
On Saturday September 12, 2020 Hamilton Township Fire Department responded to a barn fire on Clarke McKinlay Road (south of County Road 9/Oak Ridges Drive) south of Gores Landing shortly after 2 p.m.
When fire crews arrived thick black smoke was emanating from the metal barn which is approximately 40′ x 200′.
Assistance with called from neighbouring townships of Alnwick/Haldimand and Port Hope to help shuttle water to the scene and along with manpower.
Fire officials along with Northumberland OPP quickly determined the structure was a large indoor marijuana grow operation along with another barn located beside it.
There were two levels in each barn there were growing thousands of plants of marijuana.
OPP Det. Sgt. Rick Dupuis told Today’s Northumberland on Monday, that members of the OPP Street Crime Unit along with members of the OPP Emergency Response Team seized upwards of 7,000 marijuana plants for destruction.
On scene on Monday were five members from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office, Ministry of Environment, Electrical Safety Authority, Hamilton Township Fire Department along with approximately 15 members from the OPP Street Crime Unit, and OPP Emergency Response Team.
Since the start of the fire, members from Hamilton Township Fire Department have spent upwards of nearly 200 hours on scene of the fire and follow-up investigation.
On Monday, while OFM were continuing their investigation to determine the cause along with searching a dumpster on the property, police spent several hours inside and outside the barns cutting and taking the marijuana from both levels of the barns.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
