Cannabis farms found following fire in Huyton

Two cannabis farms have been found following a fire in Huyton this afternoon, Thursday 19 December.

At around 1.35pm it was reported that a flat was on fire on Hall Lane.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue attended and extinguished the flames.

No injuries were reported and residents in neighbouring flats were evacuated.

Police officers attended and discovered two cannabis farms growing in two flats.

Roads closures are in place on Hall Lane and Ellis Ashton Road while emergency services deal with this incident and we ask people to avoid the area.

Chief Inspector Andy Hughes said: “Criminals who illegally extract electricity have a total disregard for the safety of residents living close by, and this is a prime example of how criminals who cultivate cannabis farms have put their lives at serious risk. Thankfully no one was injured in the blaze.

“The communal areas of the building are badly fire damaged so we are expecting it will be at least a few days before residents in other flats can return home.

“This highlights the importance that we find cannabis farms as quickly as possible. Nobody wants to live close to a potential death-traps such as this, and it is often thanks to people living in the areas affected who tell us about their suspicions, and the proactivity of our officers, that we are able to take action.

“If you spot any signs that cannabis is being grown near where you live and work please let us know so that we can continue to take action. Any information helps residents and the work we do, so make us aware and we will investigate."

A video in which Matt Brown, head of our Cannabis Dismantling Team explains how you can spot signs of cannabis being grown near where you live can be found here - https://youtu.be/rc59i2dsZHM

Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:

- Strange smells and sounds

- Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times

- Gardening equipment being taken into a property, such as plant pots, fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting

- Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are permanently closed

- Heat from an adjoining property

- Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather

Individually these activities may seem commonplace, however, together may indicate something more suspicious

Anyone with information on suspected drug production or criminal activity in their community can contact @MerPolCC, call 101 or come forward anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.