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First Legal Marijuana Operation In Seattle Burnt Beyond Recognition

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Jonah Bennett Contributor
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A fire early Wednesday burned Seattle’s first ever legal marijuana operation to the ground.

According to the Seattle Fire Department the blaze, which started at 3:45 a.m., looks to be accidental—the product of faulty wiring, Reuters reports.

The department also confirmed firefighters were not affected by marijuana fumes from the burning plants, as ventilation in the building pushed the smoke upward. But as standard procedure, the firefighters also wore masks.

Luckily, no one was injured in the fire, which took around 45 minutes to control. The damages are around $250,000 dollars, which only counts damage to the facility and equipment.

Sea of Green Farms owner Phillip Tobias stated he hasn’t been able to come up with an estimate for the amount of cannabis burned. The operation offered 35 different strains of marijuana, and since Sea of Green Farms qualifies as a Tier 2 Producer, its facility can be greater than 2,000 square feet, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet for growing. Tobias has insurance for the facility.

Estimation of product damage has been left to the Washington State Liquor Control Board. The board is tasked with regulating recreational marijuana businesses in the state.

Last year, the Seattle City Attorney’s office sued Sea of Green Farms, alleging the facility does not meet proper building code standards. As soon as Tobias received the appropriate “land-use” designation, the suit was immediately dismissed. Sea of Green Farms had to pay $2,790 dollars in penalties.

While marijuana is still illegal on the federal level, a 2012 voter initiative allowed recreational marijuana in both Washington and Colorado. Since then, recreational businesses have been popping up all over Washington.

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Jonah Bennett