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A shelter-in-place order that had been lifted in the Boyle Heights area was re-issued for some locations Thursday when the Los Angeles Fire Department planned to ventilate smoke from the cold food storage facility that burned a day earlier.
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The order issued early Thursday afternoon was for an area east of Lorena Street, where residents were advised to stay inside and close doors and windows as firefighters work to clear smoke from the large warehouse-type building.
LAFD Alert- Boyle Heights SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER – Structure Fire 1400 S Los Palos St MAP: https://t.co/dzQll42giN FS25; DETAILS: https://t.co/eeHBjIsSdQ
“LAFD will soon be undertaking ventilation measures to evacuate hazardous smoke from 1400 S Los Palos St.,” the agency said in an alert at about 2:30 p.m.
In an update Thursday evening, the LAFD said crews found a pocket of fire in a freezer container inside the building. Video from NewsChopper4 late Thursday showed gray and white smoke still billowing out of the building as more water drops were being made.
Air quality concerns initially diminished in the hours after the fire burned on the solar panel-covered rooftop of the business, where firefighters continued Thursday to monitor conditions and work to fully extinguish flames. At a Thursday morning news conference, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore said residents might still see smoke drifting from the rooftop of the nearly 500,000-square-foot Lineage building in the community east of downtown Los Angeles.
Firefighters were waiting to access parts of the roof until authorities determine it is structurally sound.
Three water-dropping helicopters made several runs Wednesday on the fire, a rarely used tactic during structure fires. The drops delivering about 480 gallons of water per run were effective in knocking down flames, but added weight to the rooftop, Moore said.
South Coast AQMD dispatched and inspector and mobile monitoring equipment. A survey Wednesday night included measurements of particulate matter and airborne metals. Preliminary test results showed the particulate matter was generally near background levels.
There were elevated particulate matter concentrations for a few seconds at a time within the smoke plume.
“During those few seconds, increased levels of bromine and chlorine were also observed,” the agency said. “Bromine and chlorine are typically found at trace levels during structural fires and the levels seen were below short-term health-based exposure thresholds. Concentrations below this level are not expected to cause adverse health effects. No significant levels of air toxic metals were seen.”
The agency will continue to monitor conditions for potential air quality impacts.
A special Particle Pollution Advisory issued Wednesday night due to potential smoke impacts was extended until 12:30 p.m. Friday.
“As firefighting efforts progress, smoldering material may continue to affect air quality directly downwind of the facility as these cooler smoke plumes do not rise as high into the air,” South Coast AQMD said. “This smoke may lead to poor air quality in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles.”
When the fire broke out Wednesday afternoon, a pressurized ammonia line in the building was damaged, causing the release of pressurized ammonia. The chemical was contained, but a shelter-in-place order was issued for nearby homes and businesses. Residents were asked to stay inside with doors and windows closed and the original order was lifted later Wednesday.
The fire’s origin was on the rooftop, but authorities have not determined a cause. Most of the fire was contained to the solar array on the rooftop, but parts of the interior were damaged. Although the power was shut down, fire officials said the situation remained challenging for crews since solar panels still conduct electricity.
“There is a field of solar panels on the roof. That’s really where the fire was. It was a surface fire on the solar panels,” Moore said.
A 2024 fire on the roof of the building was caused by an electrical problem, the LAFD said. That fire was knocked down using ladder trucks and hand lines.
The fire on Wednesday was reported at about 2:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of South Los Palos Street on the roof of the single-story, nearly 491,000-square-foot Lineage cold food storage facility. Minutes later, an ominous dark cloud of smoke was rising over the community and spreading in the downtown LA area.
Surrounding communities, mostly to the east, were under a smoke advisory.
The city of San Gabriel also recommended that residents shelter in place but said there was no threat to the city as of Wednesday afternoon.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
A spokesperson from Lineage, the food storage company, sent NBCLA the following statement on Thursday:
Lineage’s top priority is the health and safety of our employees, partners, and the communities in which we live and operate. We are deeply grateful to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) for their rapid response, professionalism, and continued support in protecting the community. LAFD hazmat specialists continue to monitor air quality in the structure and immediate area. Importantly, there are no known ammonia readings from air monitoring reported at this time. We are also encouraged that our employees were safely evacuated and there are no reported injuries. We are working closely with local officials and first responder teams to assess the situation and provide support. This is an evolving matter, and we will provide updates as appropriate.
