Boyle Heights Fire Leaves 40 Million Lbs Rotting as Los Angeles Residents Report Health Issues
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 27
Boyle Heights Fire Leaves 40 Million Lbs Rotting as Los Angeles Residents Report Health Issues
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 27
Summary
40 million pounds of food are rotting in a Boyle Heights warehouse after firefighters extinguished a weeklong blaze, leaving nearby residents complaining of an overpowering stench and symptoms including sore throats, headaches, dizziness and nausea.
85 million pounds of frozen food had been stored in the 500,000-square-foot facility, and about half was lost in the fire; runoff from millions of gallons of firefighting water carried debris, burned insulation and spoiled food into the area.
Lineage Logistics, which leases the cold-storage space, said Friday it hired a cleanup firm, but city health officials said Los Angeles had not been told how or where the spoiled food would be disposed of.
Lineage has blamed rooftop solar operator Altus Power, saying the fire started during tests on the solar array, while Altus said the cause has not been determined.
Karen Bass pledged to hold those responsible accountable and mobilize more cleanup resources, as the site had already seen a solar-panel fire in 2024 and a separate Lineage warehouse fire in Washington burned for 60 days.