Boyle Heights warehouse expected to be returned to owner and tenant, LAFD says
After a large fire was knocked down at a Boyle Heights cold storage facility, the Los Angeles Fire Department says responsibility for the property is expected to be returned to the owner and tenant on Friday.
On Wednesday, the LAFD officially declared a knockdown of the fire that had been burning for more than a week. Officials said crews had moved into the overhaul phase of operations and that they would ensure that debris within the structure did not continue to smolder.
The LAFD says residents should expect to see emergency vehicles in the area until all remaining hazards have been mitigated and the incident is fully resolved.
The fire at a 500,000-square-foot Lineage Big Bear cold storage facility at 1400 S. Los Palos Street, which erupted last week, has created several health hazards in the community.
On Friday morning, the St. John's Community Health and Inner City Struggle will be distributing 20,000 masks and at least 150 air purifiers to residents in the community who live closest to the facility. The organization's goal is to distribute 1,000 air purifiers to the impacted neighborhood over the next week.
In response to the fire, Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Boyle Heights, enabling state resources to be used.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors also ratified a local emergency proclamation as well to expand community support, environmental monitoring and business recovery assistance. The emergency proclamation was declared by Supervisor Hilda Solis, who said that thousands of air purifiers and masks have been distributed to residents impacted by fire and smoke.
LAFD Capt. Jacob Raabe has warned residents that some smoke could remain in the area through the week, even after the blaze was extinguished.
The LAFD will be working with private contractors to remove the food stored inside the building. Raabe described the building as a massive "ice chest," and said there's more than 85 million pounds of food inside, and some has already burned or spoiled.
Although the official cause of the fire has not been determined, Lineage, the building's tenant and operator, said that the fire may have originated from work being performed by a third-party contractor handling solar panels on the roof.
Lineage response to the fire
On Monday, Lineage told CBS LA that the building is owned by Chill Build Los Angeles, LLC, and that the solar array on the building is owned by Los Palos Street Operating, LLC, which is a subsidiary of Altus Power. The building's solar contractor is Pearce, which is a subsidiary of CBRE.
In a statement, Lineage said the company is committed to the fastest cleanup process possible "without sacrificing health, safety, and regulatory compliance."
"We are ready to begin as soon as LAFD turns the building over to its owner and to us as its tenant operator," the company said. "We have already hired Signal Restoration Services, an industry-leading cleanup firm, to lead our efforts, and we have staged cleanup equipment onsite.
Lineage also urged government agencies to promptly address permitting or other approvals necessary to begin the cleanup.
In a statement, Altus said the cause of the fire was yet to be determined.
"Our first concern is for the residents of Boyle Heights, everyone affected by this fire, and for the firefighters working to contain it. The cause of the fire where our rooftop solar array is located at the Los Palos Street facility has yet to be determined," the statement said. "We are cooperating fully with the authorities as they investigate."
