Marijuana plants found after Newport apartment fire, but they’re legal, police say

Narcotics detectives were briefly called to a Newport Beach apartment to investigate a marijuana-growing operation that firefighters believed sparked a fire there, but police quickly determined there was no crime, authorities said.

At about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, firefighters responded to the 1900 block of Sherington Place after witnesses heard an alarm and saw smoke coming from one apartment’s balcony and windows, Newport Beach police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella said.

After putting out the flames, firefighters called in police because “the source of the fire seemed to involve marijuana cultivation,” Manzella said.

Officials found about 25 marijuana plants in the apartment but determined their cultivation was legal, Manzella said

It’s unclear how much damage the fire caused. Police said a faulty electrical cord used in the growing might have started the blaze.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck