Smoke rising from home was steam generated by thousands of pot plants, Maine cops say

A concerned citizen’s report of smoke at a home in southern Maine turned awkward when firefighters discovered it was steam generated by thousands of marijuana plants.

Closer inspection revealed the single-family home was being used as a massive pot farm, with an estimated 2,500 plants lined up under specialized gardening fixtures, photos show.

That comes to nearly one marijuana plant per square foot, based on Realtor.com records.

The discovery was made around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at a home on Auburn Road in Turner, officials said. Turner is about 105 miles southwest of Bangor.

Investigators say a caller “reported seeing smoke coming out of the eves of the garage,” the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

“A deputy arrived on scene along with Turner Fire-Rescue personnel and upon investigating it was determined that the smoke the citizen saw was actually steam generated from a large quantity of marijuana plants growing inside the residence,” the sheriff’s office said.

“It was initially estimated that there were approximately 500 marijuana plants as well as items related to the growing of marijuana including grow lights, chemical fertilizers, dehumidifiers, and propane heaters were seen.”

A search warrant raised that estimate to 2,500 plants, officials said.

There is no record of a marijuana operation license for the site, “or any license issued to the homeowner who is from Massachusetts,” the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy told investigators.

The plants were seized by deputies, and investigators are looking into whether the operation might be related to similar “illegal marijuana grows” found in Lincoln, Kennebec and Somerset counties, officials said.

The four-bedroom home is 3,244 square feet and was built in 1890 on a lot that is just over half an acre, Realtor.com reports.