Firefighters sent to the scene forced their way into the premises with an angle grinder – and then discovered a massive haul of cannabis being harvested. Around 55 plants were recovered in an upstairs flat, potentially yielding £20,000 if the drugs had been sold on the streets. Live wires were found dangling from the flat, conducted along the metal shutter.
A nearby shop owner, who wished not to be named, said a number of dogs had suffered electric shocks before the Jack Russell was killed. He said: “It’s horrible that a dog died but it could so easily have been a child. There are parents strolling prams down Prescot Road all day long and this shop is right outside a bus stop. All it would have taken was for someone to touch the metal.”
Merseyside police detective inspector Julie Milburn said: "This incident shows the dangers of cannabis farms and highlights the misconception that cannabis and the growth of the drug is harmless. A firefighter told me that the electric current could have spread from bad wiring when they tried to bypass the electricity meter to avoid detection. He also said it could have been done on purpose so no-one could break in to steal the drugs.”