Boyle Heights Fire Near Extinguishment After Week of Smoke

Crews are reportedly very close to fully extinguishing a large fire at a cold storage facility in East Los Angeles' Boyle Heights neighborhood. The blaze, which started about a week ago at the 500,000-square-foot Lineage Big Bear cold storage facility, has created health hazards due to smoke. Los Angeles Fire Department officials expressed confidence on Wednesday morning that the fire would be fully extinguished soon, with the chief setting a goal for completion that day.

Smoke conditions have improved significantly, though some smoke may linger. Firefighting strategies have involved using large volumes of water from the exterior to reach flames inside the massive building. Once extinguished, private contractors will assist in removing the more than 85 million pounds of food stored inside, much of which has been burned or spoiled.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined. Lineage, the facility's operator, suggested it may have originated from work on solar panels by a third-party contractor. The company clarified the facility does not store hazardous materials and has taken steps to manage ammonia on-site. The building is owned by Chill Build Los Angeles I, LLC, with solar array ownership linked to Altus Power.

In response to air quality concerns, air purifiers and masks have been distributed, and schools in the affected area were relocated for summer school sessions. A state of emergency was declared by Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, with the county Board of Supervisors ratifying a local emergency proclamation to enhance community support and monitoring.