The blast tore through a Sand Springs business complex in the middle of the night. Now, court documents are revealing a history of inspection problems, questionable licensing and hazardous materials.
At around 1:15 a.m. on August 27, residents of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, got a very rude wake-up call: an explosion at a cannabis extraction facility.
The blast at SoloS Extracts, located inside the Morrow-Gill Business Complex, killed two men, destroyed or severely damaged the facility and affected at least 25 neighboring businesses. The force was strong enough to blow portions of the roof apart, cave in walls and twist metal beams. One resident a mile away told local television station KTUL that he and his wife woke up at the same time after hearing what he described simply as “a big boom.”
Now, as investigators try to determine exactly what happened, the story is becoming less about one catastrophic blast and more about a series of questions surrounding the facility. And some of those questions were apparently there before the explosion.
The Explosion Wasn’t Supposed to Happen
The two people killed were identified as Michael Newman and Stephen Scott, both employees of the business, according to authorities. Newman was initially found alive and transported to a hospital, where he later died.
The owner of SoloS Extracts, 35-year-old Ryan Bassham, has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He surrendered to authorities after an arrest warrant was issued and was later released after posting a combined $2 million bond.
But here’s where things get complicated.
According to a probable-cause affidavit reported by Public Radio Tulsa and local news outlets, Sand Springs Fire Marshal Mike Nobles had inspected the facility in January. During that inspection, he reportedly found an outdated fire-suppression system and extraction equipment. He instructed the business to have …
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Author: Camila Berriex / High Times
