Police: Marijuana Growing Operation Started House Fire in Decatur

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- DeKalb County narcotics investigators suspect heat lamps from a marijuana growing operation started a fire that destroyed a home.

The flames broke out early Saturday evening at a home on Tarian Drive near Decatur. Neighbor Joie Clay was the first to see the smoke and call 911.

"It was coming out the front window like it was just this huge boom. It caught the tree on fire," said Clay.

"There was a lot of debris inside the house that was buing so we had a heavy fire load, big concentrations of fire," said Battalion Chief Jeff Crump.

Crump said firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof because so much smoke was trapped in the attic.

At first they pulled back to fight the fire from the outside only, until they got it under control.

"We've had multiple floor collapses inside, we didn't want to put our people in there and risk anyone getting hurt," added Crump.

Neighbors tell Channel 2’s Jodie Fleischer the people who lived in the home were there when the fire started, but left before firefighters arrived.

"Why would you leave your house with it on fire? Most people are freaking out and trying to get help and see if they can put it out themselves. You don't just leave your house fire, that's a bit on the strange side," said Clay.

Firefighters thought so, too.

They contacted DeKalb County narcotics officers, who suspect the home contained a marijuana grow house, with dozens of potted plants, and several large heat lamps that likely started the fire.

Clay was worried the winds would carry the flames next door.

"It could have spread to our house, because of somebody else's negligence. I just think it's really foul," she said.

Neighbors said they saw the homeowners try to retu, but they tued around when they saw the firefighters all around.

Now police investigators are looking for them as well.