Explosions from burning canisters heard in Ceres

CERES -- Officials say butane canisters burning in a trash can caused the miniexplosions heard outside the American Legion Hall at Lawrence and Ninth streets Saturday night.

Ceres police Sgt. Danny Vierra said Sunday the canisters were heating a PVC pipe, believed to have been used to extract chemicals from marijuana plants.

The 5 p.m. disturbance brought out the Stanislaus County sheriff's bomb squad, and traffic was blocked from the area.