UPDATE: Investigation of Drug-Related Explosion Leads to Arrest
***Updated 12:49 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31.***
A 28-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with last weekend’s drug-related explosion in Hawaiian Paradise Park that sent a man to the hospital.
Police said Savannah Maloof lives at the home on 17th Avenue, but was not at home when the explosion occurred.
Maloof was arrested Monday on suspicion of first-degree promotion of marijuana, second-degree promotion of marijuana, first-degree promotion of a harmful drug, promotion of a detrimental drug and four counts of drug paraphernalia.
She was being held in the Hilo cellblock without charges pending further investigation.
The butane process of concentrating marijuana resins results in bubbles of the explosive gas which must be evaporated away. Photo by Vjiced/Wikimedia Commons.
Police investigating the explosion Saturday night confiscated 102 marijuana plants being grown indoors, more than an ounce of butane honey oil — a concentrated form of marijuana, and components in the manufacture of butane honey oil.
The 30-year-oldmale resident of the home is being treated at an Oahu hospital for severe burns.
He has not been named.
Police asked that anyone with information about any butane honey oil lab call the police department at 935-3311. The liquid butane used in the marijuana refinement process is extremely flammable.
Anonymous tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
Posted 7:15 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30:
Police are investigating what was described as a drug-related explosion that sent a man to the hospital with severe injuries Saturday.
Officers responding at 8:16 p.m. to a report of a loud explosion in Hawaiian Paradise Park found a blast had knocked out windows, melted plumbing fixtures and blown doors off cabinets in a home on 17th Avenue.
The explosion was apparently caused by an explosion of butane allegedly being used to manufacture butane honey oil, a concentrated form of marijuana also known as BHO.
County paramedics who were already on the scene transported a 30-year-old Keaau man to Hilo Medical Center with third-degree burns. He was later moved to a hospital on Oahu.
The man was not identified.
At the scene, police seized 102 marijuana plants from an indoor-growing operation and more than an ounce of butane honey oil in several stages of its manufacture. They also found three e-cigarettes and components associated with the manufacture of butane honey oil.
***Updated Friday, Jan. 3, to correct age of suspect arrested.***
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