Boyle Heights warehouse fire: Crews work for 5th day in responding to 85M pound biohazard threat
Boyle Heights warehouse fire continues to burn
Sunday marked Day 5 since firefighters in Los Angeles worked around the clock to take down the fire at the Lineage warehouse in Boyle Heights.
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles officials have declared a local emergency as a massive, multi-jurisdictional warehouse fire continues to burn in Boyle Heights, triggering worsening air quality and a looming biohazard threat from millions of pounds of spoiling food.
Residents across central Los Angeles and surrounding valleys are being urged to limit outdoor exposure while emergency crews battle the blaze around the clock.
No shelter-in-place or evacuation orders were active as of Sunday afternoon, but officials strongly advised the public to stay inside, keep pets indoors, and close all doors and windows.
What we know:
The blaze broke out shortly after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at a 491,000-square-foot commercial cold storage facility operated by Lineage Logistics at 1400 S. Los Palos St. Officials said the fire started on high-voltage solar panels, quickly spreading across what Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore described as a "solar farm" on the roof.
An initial ammonia leak forced firefighters into a defensive posture and prompted brief shelter-in-place orders for nearby residents and businesses Wednesday afternoon. Although fire officials initially halted the roof's fire spread by 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and lifted the shelter-in-place order, changing winds re-ignited hot spots inside the building. By Friday, firefighters were again battling active flames.
Firefighters made notable progress overnight into Sunday, confining the fire to one side of the large warehouse and removing portions of the exterior wall to improve access. Firefighters have since completely mitigated the hazardous chemical threat by shutting down valves and pumping the ammonia off-site. In a Sunday statement, Lineage Logistics confirmed that no measurable ammonia concentrations have been recorded in the community since the fire began.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
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However, the building's refrigeration has been turned off, leaving 85 million pounds of meat, fish, and wheat products to spoil.
Because the fire is burning deep beneath structural debris and solar panels, crews are using unprecedented tactics for a structure fire, including continuous water drops from at least three helicopters alongside massive ground-level ladder pipes.
Flames shoot out of Boyle Heights warehouse
A shift in the wind caused the flare-up, which was reported shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, Los Angeles Fire Department officials said in a statement.
Arson investigators are on scene.
No injuries have been reported.
Two 24-hour respite shelters have been opened to support affected residents:
- Pecan Rec Center (145 S. Pecan St.
- City Terrace Park (1126 N. Hazard Ave.)
Pets are welcome at these sites on leashes or in kennels.
Local perspective:
Mayor Karen Bass has issued a Declaration of Local Emergency due to the fire, which continues to send a large amount of smoke into the atmosphere. Gov. Gavin Newsom has also issued a state-level emergency declaration, while Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis announced she will introduce a motion Tuesday to declare a county-level emergency.
What we don't know:
Officials have stated that this will be an "extended event," but the exact timeline for when the fire will be fully extinguished remains unknown.
Shelter-in-place order lifted in Boyle Heights, concerns linger
Shelter-in-place orders were lifted Friday, but a smoke advisory issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District remains in effect.
Additionally, authorities are still evaluating the precise logistics of how they will safely enter the zero-visibility structure to remove and dispose of the thousands of tons of rotting food.
What they're saying:
Officials have stated that this will be an "extended event," but the exact timeline for when the fire will be fully extinguished remains unknown. Moore hopes the fire and the debris cleaning will be done by the end of this coming week, he said in a press conference Sunday, June 21.
Concerns have increasingly shifted to the building's structural integrity and the ultimate disposition of the waste.
"There will still be cleanup after this fire is out," Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado said in a social media post Sunday. "That cleanup needs to happen safely, quickly, with full accountability. The building owner is responsible for moving the remaining product and materials inside the facility, and I will continue to work to hold them accountable."
In response, Lineage Logistics announced Sunday afternoon that it has contributed $2 million to the California Community Foundation to support affected community members. The company is also collaborating with local officials to distribute air purifiers, food, and other resources.
What's next:
The South Coast Air Quality Management District's special Particle Pollution Advisory remains in effect until at least 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 21, though it may be extended if smoke conditions persist.
Air monitoring data shows that PM2.5 levels have already reached "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" to "Very Unhealthy" categories across central Los Angeles County, the San Gabriel Valley, the East San Fernando Valley, and the Northwest San Bernardino Valley.
Fire operations will continue around the clock, and residents can expect to see ongoing smoke and emergency vehicle activity.
Hundreds of air purifiers and masks are being distributed to residents, a number expected to rise into the thousands by Monday. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has extended its special Particle Pollution Advisory until at least 12:30 p.m. Monday. When asked if the smoke made the local air dangerous, Bass noted that it was not.
What you can do:
- Stay Indoors: Residents near the smoke plume should stay inside, close all windows and doors, and run HVAC units on "recirculate" mode to avoid drawing in outside air.
- Wear Protection: If you must go outside, wear a well-fitting N95 or P100 mask to filter out fine particulate matter.
- Report Odors: Report unusual or foul odors directly to the SCAQMD at 1-800-288-7664.
- Seek Assistance: For emergency notifications or shelter transportation, visit AlertLA.org or call 211. Unincorporated East Los Angeles residents seeking direct support can contact Supervisor Solis’s office at 323-881-4601.
The Source: This report is compiled directly from official statements delivered during a joint city-county press conference by Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore, Mayor Karen Bass, LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis, Councilmember Isabel Jurado, Assemblymember Jessica Caloza, LA County Fire Chief Deputy John O’Brien, and representatives from the Department of Public Health and the American Red Cross on Saturday, June 20, 2026. Supplemental operational timelines, corporate context, and cause assessments were verified via official written statements released by Lineage Logistics and the Los Angeles Fire Department, as well as previous FOX 11 reports. City News Service contributed.