[PRESSDEMOCRAT] A Santa Rosa man with a half-baked plan to manufacture a potent cannabis oil was severely burned in a small explosion inside a residence Tuesday evening.Miguel Ceja, 31, was trying to make hash oil, commonly known as honey oil, in the bathroom of an apartment at 934 Clark St. when fumes from the process ignited, causing a flash explosion.
"The heat was so intense that the shower curtain was vaporized," Santa Rosa Police Sgt. David Linscomb said.
Ceja's girlfriend took him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital before firefighters arrived. He was later transferred to St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco for treatment of his burns, which covered more than half his body and are considered life threatening, Linscomb said.
The accident occurred around 7:55 p.m. Evidence at the scene indicated that Ceja had been using butane to extract resin from the leaves and stems of marijuana plants, Linscomb said.
The process is fairly simple, but extremely dangerous because butane fumes are highly combustible. When used in a confined space, butane can ignite when it comes into contact with a heat source, such as a pilot light, Linscomb said.