A firefighter received a prolonged electrical shock while attacking a fire in a residential structure containing a marijuana grow operation. In this incident, many factors contributed to the hazard:
- A 277-volt step-up transformer had been wired directly to the electrical panel for the grow lights. This more than
doubled the voltage potential and prevented the 15-amp breaker from working properly.
- The wiring to the grow lights had open splices (not contained within junction boxes) and exposed ends of energized
wiring were lying across the floor. Some wires had burned through the casing and were directly contacting the floor.
- The wiring for the transformer and the grow lights did not conform to Provincial Safety Standards.
The exposed ends of the energized wiring contacted the pools of water from the fire hoses and caused the electrical shock
to the firefighter.
Safe work practices:
- Train firefighters on how to identify a "grow house" and the potential hazards that it may contain
- Attempt to extinguish a fire in an identified "grow house" without entering the building
- Stay out of the structure until the power has been turned off by by the appropriate power authority's qualified and
trained worker
