Man Who Badly Burnt Himself In Marijuana Grow House Fire Arrested

This is literally adding insult to injury. The Orange County man who severely burnt himself during a fire at a marijuana grow house has been arrested.

On Thursday, New Windsor police arrested 55-year-old Robert McDougall of New Windsor for criminal possession of marijuana, a felony, and a misdemeanor for unlawfully growing cannabis, a public health law.

On Jan. 10, the Town of New Windsor Police Department and the Vails Gate Fire Department received a report of an apartment on fire at a home on Union Ave in the Town of New Windsor.

Upon arrival police found the owner, McDougall, outside of the apartment with heavy burns around most of his body.

McDougall told authorities that he heard a loud noise in the lower level of the unit and when he opened the door he was hit by fire, police say.

McDougall was transported by New Windsor EMS to St Luke’s Hospital in Newburgh in critical condition. He was later flown to Westchester Medical Center.

After the fire was put out, the New Windsor Fire Inspectors Office and New Windsor police checked the scene and allegedly located what appeared to be a grow operation that was taking place in that unit.

38 marijuana plants and numerous types of accessories that are commonly used for growing marijuana indoors was found inside the home, police say.

McDougall was released from prison after posting $1,000 bail.