Evidence of marijuana grow-op at Surrey house fire

Officials say there is evidence of a marijuana grow operation at a massive house fire in South Surrey. Aug. 21, 2014.

The remains of a marijuana grow operation were found inside a Surrey home destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

Neighbour David Payton called 911 after seeing smoke and flames coming from the empty house next door around 6 a.m.

“The windows were popping. I watched the roof fall in,” he told CTV Vancouver.

He estimates the flames were shooting at least 30 metres in the air.

“I was about 100 feet away and I was getting burnt on my face,” he said.

Smoke from the blaze on 16th Avenue near 176 Street was visible as far as Richmond and Ladner.

Surrey Fire Deputy Chief Karen Fry said the blaze appears suspicious and the home was abandoned when flames erupted.

“There [are] remnants of a grow-op on site,” Fry said.

“We never know what kind of modifications there have been in the home so we take a defensive standpoint.”

RCMP say the home and property were under investigation by the city’s grow operation team.

Mounties and fire officials found a grow-op in the home during an inspection in 2013.

“It was dismantled and cleaned up,” said Cpl. Bert Paquette.

The man who owns the home says the property has been sold and denies any knowledge of a grow-op.

“This property is empty. We’re doing a renovation,” he told CTV News.

Crews said there were concerns the fire would spread to the neighbouring home because the property is heavily treed and it’s very dry.

A tanker truck was brought in to supply additional water because of a lack of hydrants in the area.

Earlier this month, Surrey fire crews had to deal with three fires at abandoned houses in the same week.

The Surrey Fire Service says alert neighbours can help with prevention.

“We really ask that any individuals that live next-door or around property is where they noticed no one is living in, to give the fire department to call them to let us know," Fry said.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Nafeesa Karim