Fire gutted house in Northwest Fresno, appeared to have been used to grow marijuana

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The fire department is not sure if the house was an active marijuana growing site. There was evidence it had been used as a grow house, and a trash bag of what appeared to be marijuana trimmings was found.

A neighbor used a cell phone to get video of the flames from the burning house, as smoke filled the neighborhood.

"About 3:00 a.m. we got up and smelled smoke and then we got up and noticed 5 firetrucks out here and the house was totally engulfed in flames," said Tracy Corley.

Once the flames were doused firefighters discovered ducting and wiring.

"They set it up for a grow it's not really a residential house anymore," said Frank Gibson.

Corley said she thought the place was vacant.

"No I just knew it was empty, I just thought it was empty because I never saw any cars there, never saw anybody coming and going. I just figured it was an empty house, a rental I believe it was," said Corley.

A neighbor across the street told us he occasionally saw two men stop by the house. According to county records the owner lives in Burbank--the fire department is investigating.