Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency in response to a persistent warehouse fire in Boyle Heights that has been burning for several days, prompting an extensive response from emergency crews.
The cause of the fire, which ignited on Wednesday, is believed by Lineage Logistics, the tenant-operator of the facility, to have originated during solar array testing conducted by third-party contractors on the roof. The state of emergency declaration activates the city's emergency response framework, mandates departmental damage and cost assessments, and seeks state aid for firefighting, cleanup, environmental monitoring, and community recovery efforts. As of Saturday afternoon, the state had not formally declared its own emergency.
The 500,000-square-foot commercial building, described by Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jamie Moore as a "giant cooler" storing 85 million pounds of frozen food, has proven exceptionally difficult to extinguish. The fire's persistence is attributed to the slow burning of dense foam within the corrugated steel walls, which continues to emit gases despite aerial water drops. LAFD Chief Deputy Jon O’Brien stated Saturday that smoldering fires remain deeply embedded under structural debris and solar panels, necessitating creative firefighting tactics, including the use of water-dropping helicopters and heavy equipment due to the building's immense size and the inaccessibility of the flames.
Regarding air quality, Chief Moore advised individuals with respiratory conditions or smoke sensitivity to avoid outdoor activities, though hazardous materials at the site have reportedly been mitigated. Concerns persist, however, regarding potential biohazards from spoiled food. L.A. County Health Officer Muntu Davis highlighted smoke and fine particulate matter as the primary public health risks, capable of causing irritation and exacerbating existing heart and lung conditions. Sensitive individuals are advised to wear high-filtration masks (N95 or P100) and register for emergency notifications via alertla.org.
Officials are also addressing the potential risk posed by lithium-ion batteries within the building, which could be linked to the solar array system or forklifts. While not immediately confirmed if solar-related batteries were present, the facility houses approximately 60 lithium-ion powered forklifts. In a critical operation, 56 of these forklifts were successfully moved or isolated from the fire, significantly mitigating the battery threat, according to LAFD Battalion Chief Nicholas Ferrari.
