Dogs rescued from house fire as cannabis set-up found
Three bulldogs were rescued from a blaze at a house in the Black Country - where firefighters discovered a cannabis factory inside.
The trio, which included two puppies, were carried to safety from the property in Green Lane, Halesowen.
Emergency services were alerted after a passersby saw smoke coming from the ground floor window and heard barking coming from inside the house.
When the noise stopped they became concerned for the dogs' safety and rang 999 for help.
When firefighters from Haden Cross arrived they forced their way into the property through the front door.
Inside the house, they found two brown and black bulldog puppies and full grown bulldog.
The fire was contained to a bedroom at the front of the house and was extinguished by two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.
West Midlands Police who attended the fire scene said six cannabis plants were found in the same upstairs bedroom.
Watch Commander Justin Bayliss, from Haden Cross, said: "We were alerted to the fire by a passer-by who saw smoke coming from the ground floor window. They heard dogs barking inside the property but then noticed that the barking stopped and so were concerned.
"When we arrived there was smoke coming from the window but we couldn't hear the barking so we forced entry via the property's front door.
"Two firefighters with breathing apparatus entered the property. Inside they found two bulldog puppies which were rescued. A fully grown bulldog, who had been quite aggressive, was also rescued.
"The fire was found in the front bedroom and extinguished within five minutes."
No one was inside the house at the time of the fire, the fire service said.
West Midlands Police spokeswoman Gina Lycett confirmed the fire was not being treated as 'suspicious' and an investigation was under way.
She added: "Police were called to a report of a fire at Green Lane, Halesowen.
"When officers attended around six cannabis plants were found in an upstairs bedroom.
"Officers continue to make enquiries and the fire is not being treated as suspicious."
