Firefighters find cannabis factory after being called to blaze

Anyone passing by Radcliffe Road (SO14) yesterday or today (15/16 February) may have noticed police presence in the area. They’ve now issued a statement confirming why.

At around 4am yesterday, 15 February, firefighters were called to reports of a fire at one of the terraced properties in that road. Police were notified as a result of firefighters finding cannabis plants being cultivated in a number of rooms.

When police arrived, the fire had been extinguished, but it was found to have been caused by wiring that had been disturbed to support the growing of plants.

Given the extent of the ‘re-wire’, the electric company will need to be called upon to make the property safe, not least to protect surrounding homes too.

Things didn’t stop there though, as it became apparent that there was a leak, with water flowing through one of the ceilings. That coupled with the electrical issues renders the building quite unsafe so police have said they’ll remain at the scene until the ‘factory’ has been dismantled.

Nobody was found to be at the property, but naturally police will carry out various lines of enquiry.