Overview
- A large explosion at a Sand Springs marijuana extraction warehouse on Aug. 27 killed two employees, identified as Michael Newman and Stephen Scott, and damaged more than 20 nearby businesses in the Morrow Gill Business Park.
- Court affidavits and a fire marshal’s inspection show Solos Extracts operated without valid OMMA and OBN credentials, had an extraction booth and an outdated fire‑suppression system, and later held large amounts of liquid propane that are highly flammable.
- First responders and court records report poor ventilation at the site and a paramedic account says Newman told them the area was not well ventilated and that the blast followed someone unplugging equipment.
- Owner Ryan Bassham surrendered to authorities, was charged with two counts of first‑degree murder and posted $2 million in bond, and was then booked again on new state charges tied to a separate illegal marijuana operation and alleged firearm possession.
- The OSBI and ATF are continuing technical and criminal investigations, prosecutors plan to pursue murder charges tied to unlawful manufacturing, and regulators may face scrutiny over licensing checks and safety enforcement for solvent extraction operations.