Two injured in Winton hash-oil lab explosion, Sheriff’s Department says

A man and woman from Winton suffered major burns Monday night when a marijuana-oil laboratory in their home exploded in flames, the Merced County Sheriff’s Department said.

Four children ages 3 to 13 were in the home but were not injured, Sgt. Ray Framstad said.

Seranto Martinez, 53, and Candelaria Martinez, 33, were flown to a Fresno hospital with second-degree burns on their hands and arms. They are expected to remain hospitalized for at least several days, deputies said.

Fire erupted about 8:06 p.m. inside the garage at 7040 Myrtle Ave. in Winton. Deputies said the man was using butane to extract oil from marijuana when fumes were ignited by a candle flame in the kitchen, causing an explosion that rocked the home and separated the walls from the ceiling.

Investigators, led by Sgt. Aaron Rosenburg, seized about 60 cans of butane and “several pounds” of marijuana buds and ground plants used to extract the oil.

“They extract the oil because it allows them to take plants with average or lower quality THC and enhance that THC by concentrating it,” Framstad said.

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive element in marijuana that can give users a high. The hash oil, sometimes referred to as “honey oil,” can be smoked or vaporized or used to make edible products.

Nine firefighters responded to the scene from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Merced County. Battalion Chief Mark Pimentel said firefighters examined the home and worked to treat the two injured residents. Firefighters remained there for about two hours.

Deputies asked for assistance from a Fresno County hazardous materials teams to clean up the area.

“These hash-oil labs are now treated the same as methamphetamine labs because of all the dangerous chemicals used in the process, which can it explode like it did here,” Framstad said.

The children were turned over to Child Protective Services.

The relationships between the two adults and four children could not be confirmed.

The Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Task Force has taken over the investigation.

Seranto Martinez and Candelaria Martinez will face numerous criminal charges, including manufacturing marijuana products for sale and child endangerment, Framstad said.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 8:19 AM with the headline "Two injured in Winton hash-oil lab explosion, Sheriff’s Department says."