Marblehead man faces charges after apt. fire reveals alleged ‘grow house’

MARBLEHEAD – A Marblehead man is facing charges for having an alleged “grow house” in his apartment on Pleasant Street, according to police.Charles K. Klopman, 53, of 23 Pleasant St., was charged with possession of marijuana to distribute and a drug violation near a school zone. The charges come after a fire in his home on June 7 prompted police and fire officials to discover the alleged stash of marijuana.According to a police report, a shirtless Klopman was found lying on his back covered in soot and suffering from smoke inhalation. As an officer grabbed Klopman’s arm to drag him down the stairway, Klopman allegedly said, “No, I just need to rest here a minute” and pulled his arm away.After carrying Klopman out of the building, the officer and fire crews awaited the arrival of medical personnel to take him to a hospital, but Klopman adamantly refused, even though he allegedly had third-degree burns on his hands and lips and risked losing his fingers by not getting medical treatment. Police say he eventually agreed to be taken to Beth Israel Hospital in Boston after he knew the fire was out.The alleged “grow house” was discovered by firefighters battling the blaze, who told police they found several marijuana plants, about four feet high in a room with high intensity lights. They went on to say that they believed the lights were attached to wires that were run through walls in order to conceal the grow operation.Police say they “froze” the apartment until they gained a warrant. Later that night, police executed a search warrant, where they photographed the entire apartment. False walls were alleged to be constructed in one of the rooms to conceal the operation, where behind the first wall, police say they found several marijuana plants. The plants were housed in different one-gallon plastic containers sitting in aluminum trays, which had a string of lights over them. A door leading to a secret room contained several more plants set up the same as in the first room, but were taller and appeared to be more mature and grown.Then, inside the refrigerator, police say they found several mason jars and two large containers filled with marijuana. Two drawers were also allegedly packed with marijuana as well.A scale, several boxes of zip-lock bags were found in the wall cabinets, along with potting soil and kitty litter.