3 in critical condition after hash oil explosion in Palm Springs

More information is surfacing after the Palm Springs Police Department and fire department responded to an explosion at the Knight’s Inn over the weekend.

Authorities determined the explosion was caused by someone trying to manufacture Butane Honey Oil (BHO), a concentrate created by extracting THC from marijuana to produce a more potent high.

The explosion was reported just after 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The hotel is located at 1450 S. Palm Canyon Drive. Emergency crews saw smoke coming from one of the rooms and found the four occupants standing nearby in the parking lot, according to police.

A man, woman, and two teenage boys were taken to the hospital. All four of them live in Cathedral City. The two adults and one of the teenagers were in critical condition, officers said in the release.

According to authorities, the process of extracting THC from marijuana to manufacture BHO is a dangerous process. During the process, marijuana is tightly packed into an extraction device, and during different purification methods, butane (flammable gas, odorless, colorless, and heavier than air) can evaporate out of the substance and collect on the floor, accumulating to explosive levels without proper ventilation.

Investigators believe that’s what occurred in the hotel room at the Knight’s Inn.

The criminal investigation into the explosion is ongoing and officers said they can’t release anymore details, including the identities of those involved, at this time.

News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 will deliver more details as the investigation moves forward.