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Boyle Heights Cold-Storage Fire Knocked Down as Cleanup of 85 Million Pounds of Food Begins

LAFD declared the blaze knocked down, with owners starting removal of scorched and spoiling food, city inspectors opening a probe into possible unpermitted roof work.

Overview

  • A fire that began on the warehouse roof during work on June 17 burned through the insulated Lineage cold-storage facility for about a week before the Los Angeles Fire Department declared it knocked down.
  • Fire crews used exterior tactics such as water-dropping helicopters, long-reach excavators, high-volume water cannons and drones because collapsed racking and thick foam insulation made interior entry unsafe.
  • Air-quality monitors from the EPA and South Coast AQMD found no toxins beyond normal combustion products, but particle pollution advisories and public-health warnings remained while smoke and foul odors lingered.
  • Cleanup work has begun under contracts hired by the building tenant and owner to remove burned and spoiling product—about 85 million pounds of food—and to contain contaminated runoff and vermin risks.
  • City agencies have opened a formal investigation into whether roof repairs or solar work were performed without permits and the fire’s origin remains under active probe, a development that could affect liability and future safety oversight.