Press release from Sergeant John Urquhart with the King County Sheriff's Office:

Marijuana Haze Over White Center as Grow-Op Goes ‘Up in Smoke’

An early morning fire in a single family residence did more than burn up the house. It sent a good-size, illegal marijuana grow operation up in smoke as well.

The fire was reported about 1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, January 23rd, in the 10400 block of 10th Ave SW (White Center neighborhood of unincorporated King County).

Responding firefighters called the Sheriff's Office after they found the marijuana grow operation in the basement of the residence as they were knocking down the fire. There were about 55 medium size plants, lights, timers, ventilation equipment, and other growing supplies in the house.

No one was home at the time of the fire and there were no arrests.

A fire investigator from the Sheriff's Office believes an electrical malfunction (!) was the likely cause of the fire.

Purple haze all in my brain
lately things don't seem the same
Acting funny and I don't know why
excuse me while I kiss the sky

- Jimi Hendrix