UTLA sends letter to LAUSD demanding additional testing at campuses near Boyle Heights warehouse as school year nears
The United Teachers Los Angeles, a union representing thousands of educators in the Los Angeles Unified School District, sent a letter demanding that officials conduct additional testing at schools impacted by the Boyle Heights warehouse fire ahead of the first day of school.
It has been nearly two months since the blaze at a Lineage cold-storage facility erupted. Since fire crews were able to fully extinguish it, residents who live nearby have been left to deal with the lengthy process of removing almost 85 million pounds of rotten food that was left in the freezers. The fire burned for more than a week, creating clouds of smoke over neighborhoods.
The letter included 14 demands, including saying the district must test the buildings, soil, water and air for toxic compounds at LAUSD schools within a 3-mile radius and, if a school tests positive, it should expand to a 5-mile radius. LAUSD is set to return for the new school year on Aug. 12.
"No student, educator or school staff member should have to worry about their exposure to hazardous substances and toxins while in the classroom," said UTLA President Gloria Martinez. "Eastside school communities deserve more than assurances—they deserve an actionable plan that puts their health and safety first. LAUSD must act with urgency before our classroom doors open and implement the demands we have presented to ensure our school communities are protected from preventable health risks."
In an interview with CBS LA Mornings, LAUSD Superintendent Andrés Chait said since the fire, the district has been taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety of the community.
"We've refreshed all of the air filters. We have carbon filters for the odor," Chait said. "We have special schedules so that students can stay indoors but still have play. So absolutely, we're ready and it's safe for students to come back."
In response to UTLA's letter, a spokesperson for the district said it has been proactive from the outset of the fire and has been working with public health, environmental and emergency management agencies to assess conditions and monitor potential impacts.
"Our established environmental health and wildfire response protocols include site inspections, air quality monitoring, enhanced cleaning, HVAC system inspections and filtration, and third-party environmental assessments when appropriate," the spokesperson said. "We will continue to follow the guidance of public health experts and take any additional actions necessary to ensure our schools are safe for students and staff as we begin the school year."
The demands also include providing clean water until all water is tested and cleared, providing extra staffing of school nurses to monitor students for acute and chronic symptoms and if a school is deemed unsafe, providing options to bus students to safe campuses that have been cleared.
UTLA's letter comes as the South Coast Air Quality Management District approved an order of abatement
that would increase the potential fines levied against Lineage Logistics as the cleanup process continues.
