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Three days after a warehouse fire broke out in Boyle Heights, smoke continues to drift over downtown Los Angeles and beyond. LAFD officials said this morning that the smell of smoke had reached most of the city, urging residents to take precautions outdoors.
The blaze began Wednesday afternoon at the Lineage Logistics cold storage facility on South Los Palos Street. Officials described it as an unusually complex fire with numerous hazards for firefighters. The facility spans nearly 500,000 square feet and crews faced difficulty entering it safely. No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
How the Boyle Heights fire grew and kept going
Fire crews extinguished the initial blaze but the fire reignited Thursday after crews found flames inside a freezer area. Solar panels on the roof triggered additional flare-ups. This made it harder for crews to bring the fire under control. Thick columns of black smoke rose into the sky. People could see them from miles across the Los Angeles area.
On Thursday, a shelter-in-place order went out for surrounding neighborhoods. Residents received advice to stay indoors with windows and doors shut. Authorities lifted the order, reinstated it and lifted it a final time on Friday. A smoke advisory remains in place for the area.
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Why this fire is unlike most others
The Lineage Logistics facility presents unique challenges for firefighters. LAFD Chief Jaime Moore described the structure as similar to a giant walk-in freezer. The building’s exterior walls are corrugated steel containing dense foam insulation. Ammonia served as the refrigerant to keep roughly 85 million pounds of frozen food cold inside. As the foam burns, it produces significant smoke that is difficult to control.
Helicopters have been dropping water on the building. Crews are working to keep the fire from reaching a neighboring cold storage facility and homes to the north. Officials are also dealing with a biohazard concern as the stored food spoils inside.
LAFD Captain Branden Silverman said crews cannot fully enter the structure due to structural safety concerns. Firefighters are instead protecting portions of the building the flames have not yet reached. Their goal is to keep the fire from spreading further.
What fire officials are telling LA residents
The LAFD and multiple agencies, including Los Angeles County Hazmat and the Air Quality Management District, conducted air monitoring. They found no toxic chemicals or hazardous materials in the smoke. Officials confirmed the smoke consists of normal structure fire particulates.
However, officials urge residents to avoid the smoke whenever possible, particularly those sensitive to air quality. Chief Moore also encouraged people at outdoor events this weekend to stay aware of conditions. This includes World Cup activities taking place across the region.
Two shelter locations remain open for anyone affected. Pecan Recreation Center at 145 South Pecan Street and City Terrace Park at 1126 North Hazard Avenue are both available. Investigators also note the same facility had a previous fire a few years ago.
Story credit: EYEWITNESS NEWS
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