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Smoked out: the burnt-out drugs farm

A CANNABIS farm was uncovered in a house rented out by a local councillor - after it caught fire.

Firefighters discovered growing equipment in each room of the three-bedroom property in a quiet residential street in Benwell, Newcastle.

Dipu Ahad, Labour councillor representing Elswick, Newcastle, had been renting the house out and was devastated to learn about the blaze and the drugs farm.

He said: "I was telephoned by the neighbours and I found out the house was on fire.

"The neighbours had told me there were huge net curtains all around the house so I told the police I suspected something was going on.

"I'm gutted, the tenants had only been in there for a couple of months. We don't know where the tenants have gone.

"The neighbours didn't complain of any smell though. This is the last thing that I expected."

Two fire crews were called to the semi in Ilfracombe Avenue, at around 6.21am on Sunday.

Neighbourhood inspector for the West End of Newcastle Gerry Barker said: "A cannabis farm and equipment were discovered in the semi detached house on Sunday.

"The house was gutted as the fire had gone through the house as equipment was in each room.

"There was no one in the house.

Northumbria Police are making further enquiries and appealing for witnesses. We are still investigating the cause of the fire with fire investigation officers."

A Tyne and Wear fire spokesperson said: "A semi detached property was on fire and was 80 per cent severely damaged by fire and water. The remains are severely smoke damaged."

A neighbour, who didn't want to be named, said: "The house was gutted by the fire. I believe the house was being rented out and after the fire it was discovered that every single room had growing equipment in it.

"There is no roof on the house now, it is just a shell. I think the tenants just fled the scene."

Neighbours today told how they woke to see flames shooting from the house opposite.

The Burini family were shocked when their front room filled with smoke as it billowed from number 18.

Michael, 57, a retired brewery supervisor, said:"We were babysitting the grandchildren so we were up quite early and the room started filling with black smoke.

"We looked out the window and there were flames shooting out of the roof and windows. My wife Karen phoned the fire brigade and ran over the street to alert the neighbours.

"It looked shocking. The neighbours were still asleep and couldn't believe what was happening. It looked like a bad one there was smoke and flames everywhere."

A 24-year-old builder who didn't want to be named helped Karen Burini, 53, to get residents on either side of the inferno out of their homes.

He said: "I just did what I had to. I knocked them up and shouted for them to get out they were very grateful. I don't know anything about drugs in there.

A 44-year-old mum-of-one said: "We woke up to smelling wood burning. My husband thought somebody was having a garden fire but then we looked out and saw flames in the windows of the house across the street."

8:03pm Monday 12th May 2008

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