SAN RAMON, Calif. (KTVU) -- A hazardous materials situation had several San Ramon homes under tense circumstances much of Tuesday as police and crews cleaned up a potentially dangerous "honey oil" operation at a private home.
Hazardous materials workers and law enforcement were on Henry Lane near I-680 most of the day. Officers said they went there investigating reports of a marijuana grow.
But once they entered the home, they discovered chemicals that could be unstable -- including butane tanks -- that created a dangerous situation.
Butane can be used to make hash oil, a marijuana derivative. It is highly explosive. A similar situation in Walnut Creek ended a couple months ago with a huge explosion at an apartment complex that left two people critically injured.
Police say this was a "honey oil" house. Honey oil is not unlike hash oil and the manufacturing process is very dangerous.
"The butane tanks are dangerous because there is an explosive possibility with those. So Contra Costa County Hazmat was notified. They responded to the scene, worked with San Ramon Fire, and they rendered the scene safe. At that point, there was a search warrant that was authored and the remainder of the residence was searched," said San Ramon Police Detective Mike Pistello.
Piestello added they found the remnants of a growing operation, but no marijuana.
"In the home were the pressurized butane tanks, and other items that are consistent with the extraction of honey oil from marijuana," said Pistello.
Pistello said there was some processed honey oil.
Police arrested one man who was home at the time and identified him as 31-year-old Ahmad Wais Sulaiman.
They said he currently is on probation. Now he is behind bars facing numerous charges, including cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale.