On 01/12/2023 the Lane County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of multiple explosions at a property in the 38000 blk of Place Rd. near Lowell. Upon arrival it was discovered that a shop on the back of the property was engulfed in flames. Responding firefighters were able to extinguish the fire prior to it spreading to neighboring properties and surrounding forest land. Evidence at the scene indicated that the shop was being used as a Butane Hash Oil processing site. Investigators from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on the property this afternoon. Substantial quantities of marijuana and equipment used to manufacture Butane Hash Oil were located at the property. The property owner, 51-year-old Danny Billows Jr. is facing charges including Unlawful Manufacture Marijuana and Reckless Endangering. Clandestine labs such as these pose an extreme hazard to the communities in which they operate. Misuse of hazardous chemicals not only carry the risk of explosion but poison the environment when not properly maintained and disposed. Had an explosion of this magnitude occurred during dry weather, the spread of fire would likely cause catastrophic impacts to the community. Investigators from the Oregon State Fire Marshall’s Office and Lane County Land Management Division are additionally investigating this case.
