The aftermath of a Palm Desert cannabis business explosion leaves businesses with major damage

In Palm Desert, there are multiple businesses in a lot off of Gateway Drive & Dick Kelly Drive that sustained significant damage after an explosion happened at a cannabis business on Tuesday.

Owners we spoke with say that after the fire department put out the fire that day, they left water in the parking lot. "That caused a major backup and clog, and all the gunk and marijuana and whatever else it is that they washed down was stuck here and basically washed all the way down towards our warehouse," says General Manager of Maxx Industries Predrag Novakovic. He described the smell; "It smelled really bad chemicals and whatever else is in there."

The employees did not know that there was a sinkhole until after they started to suck out the water and clean up the debris themselves. They were frustrated with the city for lack of communication and help after the incident. Novakovic gave us a timeline of how he and his team began to clean up. "I called the city at 8 am on Wednesday, and around 2 pm, Someone came and just put caution tape and closed off this area. On Thursday, all day, nothing happened. And then we basically drained the water and then cleaned it up on Friday.

News channel 3 learned that the city is waiting for the inspection report from the fire marshal's office.

He shared with us the process they are taking to fix the drain systems.

On friday, what we did was issued a notice of correction or notice of violation for a public nuisance, says the city of Palm Desert's director of development services, Richard Cannone. Cannone explained the damage to a lot off Dick Kelly Drive.

"That sinkhole was a result of the water', says Cannone. And so as we went out and looked, that's why it looked like there was a crack in that asphalt previously on that, on that private property. With the amount of water that was used, of course, the drain appeared to be backed up, we think, from a lack of maintenance."

He says the owners of the lot have until December 11th to respond. He says, at this point, it is up to the property owners to fix the damage and issues involving the drain system. "That's something that the property owner should be fixing immediately."

Some of the surrounding business employees took it upon themselves to drain that water. Mandy Calvano has two businesses on the lot. "I understand we are privately owned, so they consider us private property," says Calvano. "But when you have something like a fire and there's damage due to that, where is that fine line between where the city comes in and provides a little added protection to the privately owned building?"

This is all fallout from the fiery explosion at a cannabis business there Tuesday. "We will be taking a really hard look at those business operations and whether that business will continue to operate in the city, " says Cannone. Saying the city's main concern is safety. "I think this was a learning experience for all of us with the type of business and and how quickly the fire not just can ignite but can reignite. 

News Channel 3 learned that the city of Palm Desert is contracted with Riverside County Fire Marshals to conduct all of the state-required fire inspections.

    The last time that the cannabis business in question was inspected was in March of this year. 

    The city official I spoke to says there is one other business in the city that houses similar chemicals and elements, like marijuana and butane.

    That other business was inspected on the 28th of November. "While we didn't cite any issues ongoing with their storage of butane, there were some other deficiencies that we had noticed and have issued a correction for that business as well," says Cannone.