Hydro house found after Ray Rd, Epping house fire
A hydroponic cannabis setup has been found inside an Epping home which was engulfed in flames yesterday afternoon. Neighbours said the house was a local mystery with no occupants ever seen and junk piled high in the backyard.
Northern District Times
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A hydroponic cannabis setup has been found inside a home engulfed in flames in Epping yesterday.
Three fire crews were called to a house fire on Ray Rd near Cooke Way in Epping just before 2.30pm Tuesday.
“Crews arrived to find a house well-alight,” a Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman said.
Ten firefighters extinguished the blaze at about 3pm.
“A crime scene was established after a hydroponic cannabis setup was discovered inside,” a NSW Police spokeswoman told The Northern District Times.
“Whilst extinguishing the fire they have noted the property contained numerous hydroponically grown cannabis plants approximately 1 metre in height,” a Ryde police spokesman said.
Neighbour Lindi Shull said she saw three fire trucks and six police cars outside the house as well as a distinct odour coming from the roof on fire.
“At first I could only smell something like burning plastic (...),” she told The Times.
“It absolutely stunk like chemicals.”
Ms Shull said she had never seen anyone go in and out of that house since she moved to the street in December.
Another former neighbour posted on social media saying she also never saw anyone come out of the house.
“We rented the house behind this one. Doesn’t surprise me, loads of rubbish and crap in the backyard and never saw anyone in there,” she said.
No one was in the house at the time.
Fire and Rescue NSW believe that the fire may have been caused by power modifications.
Police inquiries are continuing.