LA Firefighters Remove Warehouse Walls to Reach Fire as 85 Million Pounds of Food Fuel Smoke
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jun 22
LA Firefighters Remove Warehouse Walls to Reach Fire as 85 Million Pounds of Food Fuel Smoke
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jun 22
Summary
Exterior wall sections came down Sunday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse, giving Los Angeles firefighters better access to hidden interior flames and room to pour in larger volumes of water.
The fire has burned since Wednesday after crews were forced to retreat from an initial attack by a suspected ammonia leak; collapsed roofing, unstable walls and zero visibility around 85 million pounds of frozen food have slowed progress.
Smoke conditions have improved but remain unpredictable, with officials warning that opening walls and concealed spaces could trigger intermittent surges as crews hunt for hot spots.
PM2.5 readings since Saturday night have ranged from unhealthy for sensitive groups to very unhealthy across parts of Los Angeles County and nearby valleys, prompting shelter-in-place advice and an emergency declaration by Mayor Karen Bass.
Lineage, the warehouse operator, said subcontractors were servicing a rooftop solar array when the blaze began and pledged $2 million for affected residents.