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The cause of the massive June fire at a Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse remains officially undetermined, but investigators found that the blaze originated on the roof at or near a section of solar panels where an electrical event occurred, the Los Angeles Fire Department announced today.
The department’s Arson Counter-Terrorism Section completed its investigation into the June 17 fire at the Lineage Logistics facility at 1400 S. Los Palos St., LAFD officials said.
Investigators determined the fire originated on the roof, “at or adjacent to a section of solar panels,” according to the department.
“Based on the evidence examined, investigators determined that an electrical event occurred within the area of origin,” the LAFD said. “However, since the specific cause of that electrical event could not be conclusively established, the incident remains classified as having an undetermined cause.”
The finding comes amid litigation over responsibility for the blaze, which heavily damaged the cold-storage facility and led to a cleanup operation stretching more than two months as millions of pounds of food inside the warehouse rotted.
Lineage sued Altus Power Inc., owner of the solar array on the building’s roof, and contractor Pearce Services earlier this month, alleging they were responsible for starting the fire.
Lineage has contended since shortly after the blaze that it was sparked on the roof by a contractor working on the solar panels. In its lawsuit, the company alleges Altus and Pearce prematurely re-energized the solar array before critical safety checks had been completed.
A representative of Los Palos Street Operating, an Altus subsidiary, has disputed Lineage’s allegations and said the company would contest the claims in court.
The LAFD’s completed investigation does not identify a specific party as responsible for the electrical event or establish its specific cause.
The fire ultimately destroyed much of the massive facility, leaving frozen goods inside to rot. The resulting odors and an influx of rodents and insects prompted complaints from residents in surrounding communities and multiple fines against Lineage.
Lineage completed the removal and cleanup of more than 89 million pounds of food waste earlier this month. Company officials estimated the remediation and cleanup cost roughly $100 million.
The Los Angeles City Council last week voted to withhold reconstruction permits for the warehouse and advanced measures intended to assist residents and strengthen regulations governing large cold-storage facilities near residential neighborhoods and other sensitive sites.
“The Department’s thoughts remain with all those impacted by this deeply tragic incident,” Arson and Fire Investigation Chief Thomas Raymond said Tuesday.
The complete investigation report will be made available under applicable city policies and public-records requirements, according to the LAFD.
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