'Honey oil' explosion, fire in Bay Point leaves 2 people injured, 6 animals dead

BAY POINT, Calif. (BCN) - Five dogs and a cat died Sunday night, and two people were treated for burns and smoke inhalation, after a fire believed to have been triggered by a "honey oil" explosion caused significant damage to a house in the unincorporated Contra Costa County community of Bay Point, the Contra Costa 
County Fire Protection District said.

The fire was reported at 5:42 p.m. Sunday on Sara Court, south of Willow Pass Road and north of State Highway 4, said fire district Capt. Steve Aubert.

It took firefighters about 20 minutes to knock down the flames, Aubert said.

Two of three people inside the house were treated for smoke inhalation and taken to a local hospital for treatment of burns after what Aubert said was a "honey oil" explosion. It appears that butane was being forced through marijuana leaves to create "honey oil," a concentrated form of the psychoactive ingredient THC.

It's a dangerous pursuit, Aubert said. "In an enclosed space, that makes a very flammable vapor mixture."

The third occupant of the house was not injured. However, five dogs and a cat inside the house died; a sixth dog was resuscitated by firefighters, Aubert said.