Bear traps at the doors: Illegal marijuana operation in Pacific nearly hurts firefighters

Firefighters who rushed into a burning warehouse in Pacific last weekend narrowly avoided stepping into a set of bear traps positioned near the doors of an illegal marijuana grow operation, according to the Pacific Police Department (PPD).

The traps were live, set, and placed at entry points inside the building, creating what police called “a significant danger to first responders and others entering the property.” Investigators said no firefighters or officers were hurt during the initial call or the search that followed days later.

More than a week after the fire, evidence of the chaotic scene was still visible. Police tape remained strewn across the parking lot Sunday afternoon. As KIRO Newsradio pulled in to take a look, a Pacific police cruiser was leaving, part of what neighbors said are increased patrols at the property.

Fire at Pacific warehouse uncovers illegal marijuana grow

On May 23 at 6:34 p.m., the Valley Regional Fire Authority (VRFA) responded to a commercial fire at a warehouse in the 100 block of Stewart Road Southwest in Pacific, a small city sitting on the King-Pierce County line near Auburn, just a couple of blocks southeast of the Highway 167 off-ramp to Jovita and Stewart.

The building sits in a cluster of small businesses surrounded by junk cars and aging structures, the kind of place that doesn’t draw much attention from passing traffic.

Firefighters quickly knocked down the flames and went in for a primary search, looking for anyone who might be trapped inside. They didn’t find any victims. What they did find was a sprawling marijuana grow operation, according to PPD.

When firefighters moved to a more thorough secondary search, they discovered the bear traps.

A warrant, more than 1,000 plants, and a hazardous chemical haul

VRFA called in law enforcement, and Pacific officers secured the scene. Because of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the search warrant wasn’t signed by a judge until May 26. Officers executed it the following day.

What they found inside, according to PPD:

• More than 1,000 marijuana plants
• Extensive hazardous chemicals tied to the grow
• Four set bear traps positioned near entry points
• Numerous building and fire code violations
• Indications of suspected electrical power theft

While officers were on scene, they developed information that a second unit in the same warehouse was also being used for an illegal marijuana grow. A second warrant was obtained and executed, resulting in the discovery of several hundred additional plants.

Why the bear traps matter

The traps weren’t tucked away in storage. According to PPD, they were set and placed near the doors, exactly where firefighters or officers would step first when responding to an emergency.

That’s the part that has investigators most concerned. A fire in a building rigged with bear traps and stocked with hazardous chemicals could have turned a routine response into a catastrophe. Crews searching smoky rooms for victims wouldn’t see a trap until it was too late.

“We’re thankful to report no first responders were harmed during the initial call or during the warrant service,” PPD wrote in its release.

The potential charges

While no arrests have been announced, cases like this typically open the door to a stack of serious felony charges in Washington.

Setting traps designed to injure or kill people is illegal under state law, and prosecutors can pursue charges ranging from reckless endangerment to assault, depending on whether anyone was actually hurt or could have been. The fact that the traps were positioned to harm responding firefighters and police is the kind of detail that tends to draw enhanced charges and stiffer sentences.

Running an unlicensed marijuana grow of this size, more than 1,000 plants in the first unit alone, is a felony under Washington’s controlled substances act. Diverting electricity to power the operation, which Pacific police said they suspect happened here, adds theft charges on top.

And with the ATF and DEA both involved in serving the warrant, federal charges are also a possibility.

A multi-agency response

Executing the warrants required help from a long list of partner agencies, reflecting how complicated and dangerous the scene had become. According to PPD, those agencies included:

• Valley Regional Fire Authority
• City of Pacific Code Enforcement
• Washington Department of Ecology
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Auburn Police Department
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• Coalition of Small Police Agencies and Major Crimes Task Force, including Issaquah, Snoqualmie, Lake Forest Park, and Normandy Park police departments

The PPD is also working with Puget Sound Energy and property management to determine whether the building is safe and habitable.

What’s next

The investigation is active. No arrests have been announced, and PPD has not said who is suspected of running the grow operations or setting the traps. The department said more information may be released as the case develops.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Pacific Police Department at (253) 929-1130 or email Sergeant Tanner Knutsen at tknutsen@pacificwa.gov.

For now, the building remains a hazard scene and a stark reminder of how quickly a routine fire call can turn into something far more dangerous.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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