KTLA

House fire leads to discovery of illegal marijuana operation in Northridge

Police are investigating a suspected illegal marijuana grow operation discovered as firefighters were battling a house fire in Northridge Thursday morning.

Los Angeles Fire Department crews responded to the blaze at the single-story home in the 16900 block of West Tupper Street around 4:30 a.m.


Flames were visible when the firefighters arrived, a Fire Department spokesperson said. At one point, the fire extended into the attic, prompting firefighters to conduct an extensive ventilation operation on the roof.

Police are investigating a marijuana grow operation discovered as firefighters were battling a house fire in Northridge, Calif. Sept. 28, 2023. (KTLA)

Around 30 firefighters extinguished the fire in just over half an hour. No injuries were reported.

“The contents of the home indicate a marijuana grow operation,” a spokesman said.

Neighbors told KTLA that it appeared no one was living inside the home. At some point in the past, they told us, the home’s water was left on, causing a minor flood in the neighborhood.

Los Angeles Police Department investigators were called to the scene to investigate the operation.

The cause of the fire was also under investigation.