News

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a hash lab explosion that took place this afternoon in the 1200 block of East Bates Road in McKinleyville that left a man with severe burns.

According to a release, deputies were called to the scene just after 2 p.m. and found a hash oil extraction lab inside of a shipping container. The man who was injured was taken to a local hospital, but his condition was not immediately available.

The explosion took place near Morris Elementary School.

A witness, who was with another person, told Kym Kemp's Redheaded Blackbelt that, “We heard a small explosion. We heard a lot of yelling.”

They walked around the corner and saw a fire coming from a shipping container in a front yard. “We saw smoke billowing out of the building,” the witness said. “A guy appeared. He was kind of burned. … He was obviously panicking.”


Read the release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office below:

On 10/21/18 at approximately 2:04 pm, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 1200 block of E. Bates Rd. in McKinleyville for the report of Butane hash oil (BHO) extraction lab explosion. Sheriff’s deputies arrived shortly after Cal Fire and observed an active (BHO) lab inside a shipping container. A male subject was transported to a local hospital with severe burns. His condition is unknown at this time. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit responded to conduct a search of the property.

This incident is under investigation.

Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707)445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.