Palm Springs BHO explosion featured in campaign against ‘potentially deadly epidemic’
A couple who were severely injured in a BHO explosion in Palm Springs are sharing their horrifying experiences as part of a new campaign about the dangers of making butane honey oil.
It happened in February of 2015. A man named Alex Gonzales was in the bathroom of the Knights Inn, trying to extract BHO for the first time. The butane ignited, causing an explosion and fire in the room. Alex escaped but was left with severe burns over 51 percent of his body.
His girlfriend, Selina Cervantes, was sleeping in the room at the time of the fire. She had painful second- and third-degree burns that covered 97 percent of her body.
According to Riverside County DA Mike Hestrin, the Palm Springs fire captain who was at the blaze said he did not expect Cervantes to survive.
READ: Hash oil explosion in Palm Springs hotel
Now, Riverside County DA Mike Hestrin’s office is releasing three short public awareness videos in hopes of preventing future explosions.
Alex Gonzales agreed to be part of the videos produced by the DA’s Office as part of a probation agreement.
“The videos are an effort to educate people about the extreme danger and prevent BHO lab explosions that can severely injure, maim, or even kill those doing the extraction or innocent victims in the area, the DA’s office said in a statement.
Honey oil is a marijuana derivative that, when produced with butane gas, has triggered destructive fires and left people with serious burns.
Butane honey oil — BHO — labs are illegal, but have sprung up in both remote and heavily populated areas of Riverside County.
DA office staff is using state Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act funds to produce the three public service announcements.
The broadcast-quality videos were unveiled Tuesday, during a media briefing at the D.A.’s office.
In the past few years, butane honey oil fires have erupted in Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Norco and Riverside.
Drug lab operators use butane stoves to extract tincture from cannabis plants. The product, often referred to as “wax” or hash, can be mixed with anything and bottled. A pound of wax can fetch more than $30,000, according to law enforcement estimates.
Special Report: An inside look at the business of hash oil
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