Lineage warehouse fire health concerns persist as LAFD lists cause as undetermined
AltaMed health data released following Lineage fire
New health data released has been released three months after the Lineage fire at a Boyle Heights warehouse.
LOS ANGELES - Three months after a massive blaze engulfed the Lineage Logistics warehouse in Boyle Heights, residents in surrounding communities are still grappling with persistent health problems and a lack of clear answers.
New clinical data released by regional health care organization AltaMed reveal that the health fallout extends well beyond the immediate vicinity of the mid-June fire, with patients several miles away in neighboring cities like Monterey Park continuing to report severe, ongoing symptoms.
What we know:
"Patients were coming to me frequently with headaches, throat irritation, eye irritation and traumatic stress," said Dr. David Escobar, AltaMed’s regional medical director.
On Thursday, AltaMed shared new data showing that patients in the fire’s impact area sought care "at higher rates for respiratory, irritant exposure, environmental exposure, gastrointestinal, anxiety and depression diagnoses from June through August 2026 compared with the same period last year."
Lingering health impact
For 27-year-old Monterey Park resident Miquitzli Herrera, the physical toll has been both frightening and unfamiliar.
"Once I got uncomfortable in my own home and not being able to breathe, that was extremely concerning," Herrera told FOX 11.
Herrera, who lives miles from the Boyle Heights site, says she has suffered from asthma flare-ups and frequent bloody noses since the fire broke out. More recently, she says she has developed an excruciating rash across her body.
"I have never experienced anything like that, very, very painful, felt like I was burning," Herrera said.
LAFD investigative report
The persistent health issues come as a Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) investigative report regarding the cause of the blaze was recently released.
According to the report, investigators found that the fire originated on the roof, and "the most probable ignition sequence was an unknown electrical event that occurred within Grid 2."
The report says, "The cause of this fire will be listed as undetermined."
Lineage Logistics has filed a lawsuit against three companies involved with the rooftop solar system at its Boyle Heights cold-storage facility, alleging their work contributed to the June fire.
For affected residents, the lack of definitive answers regarding what exactly they were exposed to creates deep anxiety about long-term health issues.
"We just passed the 9/11 anniversary and we still have so many residents impacted," Herrera added. "Do we need to be following that same path of really trying to figure out what happened, what were we exposed to, what was truly in that warehouse?"
Response to LAFD report
What they're saying:
Lineage released the following statement on the LAFD investigative report:
"The report lists only one ignition source the LAFD could not rule out as a cause: ‘Solar panels and their connected components.’ As we’ve known all along, this is a solar fire."
A spokesperson for Los Palos Street Operating, LLC, a subsidiary of Altus Power, responded to Lineage’s statement on the recent report:
"Lineage unfortunately continues to misinform the public: its statement is in direct conflict with the Los Angeles Fire Department’s finding that the cause of the incident is ‘undetermined.’"
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass released the following statement on the LAFD report:
"My commitment is to the residents of Boyle Heights. They deserve transparency, which is why I directed the Emergency Management Department to post the Fire Department’s Investigation Report. The report has also been posted to the Mayor’s Office website.
"We must do all that we can to prevent emergencies like this in the future. I have issued multiple executive directives to ensure environmental justice is at the forefront of the recovery. I have been clear that Lineage and Chill Build do not deserve to rebuild. I urge Governor Newsom to sign Assemblymember Mark González’s legislation to require cold storage facilities to maintain a contingency fund before receiving a new building permit, and Senator María Elena Durazo’s legislation to allow cities and counties to impose higher fines when the health and safety of communities are threatened. I will continue doing everything in my authority to connect residents to critical assistance and to demand the answers and accountability this community deserves."
The Source: Information for this story came from data released by AltaMed. Statements also came from local residents and the Los Angeles Fire Department.