Northampton cannabis farm goes up in smoke as blaze destroys terraced house

Police have confirmed drugs worth tens of thousands went up in smoke — literally — in a Northampton house fire last week.

Detectives established the property which was partially destroyed by a blaze in the early hours of Friday morning was being used as a cannabis farm.

Fire ripped through the upper floor and roof of the terraced house in Ransome Road, Far Cotton.

The house was empty, although families in adjacent properties had to be evacuated as five crews of firefighters battled to contain the blaze from 3am.

Fire investigators believe the blaze was started by an electrical fault.

■ Officers uncovered another cannabis farm worth up to £300,000 during a raid on an unoccupied property in Kingsthorpe on Saturday afternoon.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police revealed 321 plants were recovered — 98 large and 223 smaller.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper while out for your essential shopping.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you