Ireland

Cannabis factory found on grounds of Louth property where man died in explosion

Garda outside a house at The Cottages, Beaulieu, near Drogheda, where a man died and two people were injured after an explosion and fire. Picture by Brian Lawless, PA Wire
Garda outside a house at The Cottages, Beaulieu, near Drogheda, where a man died and two people were injured after an explosion and fire. Picture by Brian Lawless, PA Wire Garda outside a house at The Cottages, Beaulieu, near Drogheda, where a man died and two people were injured after an explosion and fire. Picture by Brian Lawless, PA Wire

A cannabis grow house has been found on the grounds of a property where one man died and two other people were injured in an explosion and fire.

Gardai said the drugs factory was discovered in a building to the back of a house at The Cottages, near Beaulieu, near Drogheda, where the blast occurred at about midnight on Tuesday.

There were about 200 cannabis plants inside with an estimated street value of about 150,000 euro.

Gardai said a 28-year-old man died at the scene following the suspected boiler explosion and subsequent fire.

A man in his 50s and a woman in her 20s were taken for treatment at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. Their injuries have been described as serious but not life-threatening.

The grow house operation was said to have been sophisticated and detectives are investigating if there is any link between the factory and the explosion.

Local fire crews, gardai and ambulance staff attended the scene after the late night blast and fire.

A post-mortem examination is to be carried out on the dead man's body and the local coroner has been notified.

Gardai said the house has been preserved for a technical examination but that the cause of the explosion is not being treated as suspicious.