Attic fire in Heeze leads to discovery of about 100 cannabis plants
A late-night attic fire at a semi-detached home in Heeze and the discovery of roughly 100 cannabis plants on the property prompted a major emergency response Saturday, with firefighters preventing flames from spreading to a neighboring house, AD reported.
The fire broke out around 11:15 p.m. at a home on Henriëtte Pessersstraat and was reported by the residents themselves, police said. The occupants evacuated in time, without any injuries.
Fire crews responded with two fire engines and an aerial ladder. Within 10 minutes, the incident was upgraded to a medium-scale fire.
Because the blaze was located in the attic, additional equipment was deployed, and firefighters from, among other places, Geldrop were called in to assist.
High temperatures and structural modifications in the attic complicated efforts to extinguish the fire, authorities said. The intensified response focused on preventing the flames from spreading to the attic of the adjacent home. That effort succeeded, but the neighboring house sustained smoke damage.
Police said a cannabis grow operation in the attic likely played a role in the fire. An on-scene police duty officer estimated that about 100 cannabis plants were found on the attic floor. The plants were described as small and may have just been harvested or newly planted.
Mayor Teun Heldens visited the scene late Saturday night, arriving by bicycle through the snow. He said he considers it important in such cases to speak with those affected and to thank emergency responders. “Because it is often very impactful,” he said.
The fire was brought under control around 12:45 a.m., after which firefighters began ventilating the home. The cannabis plants will be collected at a later time.
