--- title: "Marijuana Factory Explodes, Causing Two Deaths" description: "A THC extraction facility in Oklahoma exploded, likely due to the illegal use of flammable gas to make cannabis concentrate." date: "2026-08-31" modified: "2026-08-31" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/science-energy/marijuana-factory-explodes-causing-two-deaths" categories: - "Chemistry" - "Science & Energy" --- # Marijuana Factory Explodes, Causing Two Deaths ![Cannabis scientist working in a laboratory extracting chemicals.]() *Shutterstock* Two are dead and over 25 buildings damaged after a cataclysmic explosion at a cannabis facility in Sand Springs, Oklahoma last week. According to initial [reporting by *KTUL*](), the blast happened at 1:30am, and literally blew the roof off the building, sending out shockwaves that could be felt up to [30 to 40 miles away](). "It was like around 1:20, 1:25. And it was just a big boom," local man Donovan Ruffin, who lives a mile away from the blast, told the news channel. "Me and my wife woke up at the same time. And as soon as I heard it, I woke up... I have a window right by my bed, so I seen a flash." Ryan Bassham, the owner of the THC facility where the explosion occurred, was later arrested on murder charges, [*People* reported](), after defying an order from the fire marshal to halt extraction operations. One explanation being offered up — though not officially confirmed — is that the explosion traces back to the use of butane to produce THC concentrate. One of the more popular methods by which the cannabis industry produces concentrated products like rosin is through a process known as butane hash oil (BHO) extraction. Basically, producers use liquid butane as a solvent, pouring it over raw plants at temperatures in the ballpark of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Because liquid butane has an exceptionally low boiling point — 30.02 degrees Fahrenheit to be exact — the solvent can be easily cooked off after mixing with the plant matter, leaving just the dissolved cannabinoids behind. Though this is said to be one of the most straightforward methods for concentrating cannabis, the use of highly flammable butane makes it one of the most dangerous. As the publisher [*Technology Networks* explained]() in a blog post on BHO extraction, a "faulty gasket or improper check could lead to disaster." Overall, there is no national count of BHO-related explosions or injuries, so it's difficult to say how common an occurrence it is. According to [one clinical study]() conducted at the burn unit of the University of California, Davis Medical Center, there were at least eight BHO-related hospitalizations between 2011 and 2012, though that number is likely higher today after a decade of legalization and cannabis industry growth. **More on THC:** *[Research Suggests the Older You Get, the More Weed You Should Smoke]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()