Residents surprised after house fire in Southampton reveals cannabis factory

Residents were stunned to learn that a semi-detached home in Oakley Road had been 'converted into a cannabis factory'.

Police and fire crews raced to the Regents Park area of the city following reports of a blaze at around 4pm on Saturday.

Once crews put out the fire, around 200 cannabis plants were found inside the premises.

'It's a quiet neighbourhood 

Hannah Powell, 45 said she hadn't heard anything coming from the property for a long time and was surprised to find what had been happening just a couple of doors down.

She said: “I’m really surprised to find that because we haven’t seen any movement in the house for ages as it seems to be rented out from what I understand.

“It’s a quiet neighbourhood and we have never suspected of anything.”

READ MORE: Southampton cannabis factory - take a look inside

'We saw the flames on the curtains'

Phillip Murray , 39, from Oakley Road (Image: Phillip Murray, 39, from Oakley Road)

Phillip Murray, 39, and his wife Sarah moved into the neighbourhood in August and were alerted when a stranger knocked on their door.

Phillip said: "We were upstairs and we heard a very faint alarm going off but we couldn't work out what it was.

"Then about 20 mins after we got a knock on the door a guy at the front said, 'do you realise your neighbour's house is on fire?'"

Sarah, 38, added: "When the fire brigade came we stood out front and saw from the front window the flames on the curtains."

“They busted the door down and went in - we didn’t know what happened they didn’t tell us anything.”

“We came outside just because we wanted to make sure we were safe.”

Crews attending the small fire on Oakley Road | Picture: Phillip Murray (Image: Fire crews attending fire scene | Picture: Phillip Murray)

In a statement, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service said two pumps were sent from Redbridge and St Mary’s Fire Stations to a semi-detached house converted into a cannabis factory.

The blaze is believed to have been started by a mains electric cable under the lounge floor.

After putting it out, crews ventilated the area, and the incident was handed to police.

However, officers initially visited the property on Oakley Road last Wednesday, after reports of suspicious activity but no offences were identified at the time.

The force has now launched an investigation and anyone with information is urged to call 101 quoting crime reference number 44220419859.

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