Police have finally revealed an explosion and fire at a Kāinga Ora-owned Invercargill home last week was due to cannabis oil production.
Photo: RNZ / Patrice Allen
Police are providing few details about the incident other than revealing charges have been brought over production of the class B substance.
Emergency services were called to the Rothesay Place house in the suburb of Rockdale shortly before 1.30pm last Wednesday following reports of an explosion.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand found the kitchen and dining room on fire and assisted three people from the home with burns.
St John took two people to Southland Hospital with serious injuries - they have since been discharged.
A third person received treatment at the scene for minor injuries.
"Charges have been brought in relation to the production of cannabis oil following a fire on Rothesay Place in Invercargill on 9 September," police said in a statement this afternoon.
"The charges will be addressed at Invercargill District Court on 22 September.
"Police are unable to provide further information at this stage to avoid prejudicing the maintenance of the law."
They would not say how many people were charged.
The house is uninhabitable as a result of the fire.
Butane is sometimes used to produce cannabis oil, otherwise known as hash oil, a class B substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act.