I went home for my lunch break yesterday. As I was driving down the street in front of my apartment, I saw a really cute girl walking the other way, so I decided to turn around to get a second look. As I flipped around, I saw smoke coming from the distance. I also heard the sirens from fire trucks. I sped over to where the smoke was coming from and saw that a house near Dana Junior High was on fire. Police and fire trucks were coming from all directions and there were a lot of looky-lous about. I joined in and took a few pictures with my Palm Pilot (it’s the only photographic device I had with me).

When I got back home, I turned on my scanner and heard some talk about the fire. Later, I heard them dispatching narcotics detectives out to the scene of the fire to collect some “questionable plants.” Here’s the Union-Trib story:

Pot plants seized after garage burns – UNION-TRIBUNE
August 17, 2004

OCEAN BEACH – A fire caused an estimated $70,000 damage to a Mendota Street home yesterday but did not damage any of 12 marijuana plants found hidden in a garage, authorities said.

The plants were seized by narcotics investigators.

San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque said investigators have determined someone set fire to a carport adjacent to the garage. Flames and smoke damaged the garage, the house and another garage.

The fire was set just after noon and was put out a short time later.