BOYLE HEIGHTS (CNS) – Firefighters set about tearing down walls Monday as they continued efforts to douse to a pesky cold-storage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights that’s been spewing smoke since Wednesday.
Air quality concerns persist for large swaths of Los Angeles, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and South Coast Air Quality Management District have not detected anything beyond normal combustible material typical after a fire, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman said.
“‘Our hope today is to apply a significant amount of water to the center of the building and get this fire out as quickly as possible,” LAFD public information officer Capt. Jacob Raabe told KTLA5 at the scene Monday morning.
He said the work is arduous, but exposing the interior of the Lineage warehouse will allow firefighters to use water cannons to reach deep into the building at 1400 S. Los Palos St., near the Indiana Street off-ramp of the Golden State (5) Freeway, where the fire broke out about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Some areas have been inaccessible to hand lines and aerial apparatus, Raabe said, adding that drones were being used for situational awareness and heat mapping and a firefighting robot capable of spraying large quantities of water was also deployed.
“This type of building is very dangerous for firefighters,” he said, adding that firefighters have been killed in previous incidents in such warehouses, prompting the incident commander in this case to be extra careful about allowing anyone to enter the premises.
Raabe said anyone with breathing sensitivities should use a mask, stay inside with windows closed and an air conditioner or air purifier turned on.
Anyone severely affected should consider temporarily leaving the area, he said.
“Many of the solar panels have been de-energized, and multiple lithium-ion batteries have been removed from the building, significantly reducing hazards to both firefighters and the surrounding community,” fire officials said Sunday.
No shelter-in-place or evacuation orders were issued as of Monday.
The fire department also issued new road closures and traffic restrictions near the fire late Sunday night.
“Reducing traffic congestion around the incident will help ensure firefighters, emergency vehicles, and utility crews can safely and efficiently access the scene,” the fire department said
Mayor Karen Bass and Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, who represents the 14th Council District, which includes Boyle Heights, said Sunday that officials were handing out hundreds of air purifiers and masks, a number that was expected to increase to the thousands by Monday.
The fire rapidly spread on Wednesday across the solar panels that cover of roof of the warehouse, which stores food, while an ammonia leak developed inside the building and thick smoke billowed into the air, prompting shelter-in-place orders for nearby residents and businesses.
At about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, fire officials reported the spread of the flames on the roof had been halted, and a shelter-in-place order was lifted. In a later update, however, they said changing winds re-ignited hot spots inside the building, and by Friday firefighters were again battling flames and conducting overhaul operations as smoke continued to rise from the damaged structure.
LAFD Chief Jaime Moore said Sunday that the solar panels were high- voltage, and described the roof as a “solar farm.”
“Because of the spread of the fire and the material that was initially burning, the fire was very difficult to put out. That’s why we used the unique resources that we did,” Moore said. “There’s only been one other time in my 31-year career that I can remember using a helicopter to try to put out a structure fire.”
Additional resources were being put in place at the warehouse after Gov. Gavin Newsom and Bass each issued a Declaration of Emergency to support the ongoing fire fight.
“California is deploying specialized resources, supporting local firefighters and pre-positioning critical supplies to protect communities and accelerate recovery,” Newsom said in issuing the declaration.
Two shelter locations were opened to support anyone affected by the fire: a city facility at the Pecan Rec Center, 145 S. Pecan St., and a county location at City Terrace Park, at 1126 N. Hazard Ave. The Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA also opened an emergency shelter at 2900 Whittier Blvd., where it is also distributing masks.
A special Particle Pollution Advisory issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District was extended until at least 12:30 p.m. Monday.
Bass said Sunday that officials had provided people with the resources to evacuate if they wanted to, but when asked if the air was dangerous, she said “No, the air is not dangerous.”
Firefighters were pouring tremendous amounts of water on the roof, and concerns were shifting to the building’s structural integrity and to the disposition of massive amounts of spoiled food.
Lineage released the following statement on Sunday afternoon:
“Lineage’s top priority is the health and safety of our team members, partners, and the communities in which we live and operate. We know many people living near our facility in Boyle Heights are deeply distraught about the fire that began on June 17, and rightfully so.
“Working closely with local officials to identify the community’s most pressing needs, Lineage has contributed $2 million to the California Community Foundation that will be distributed to support community members who have been impacted by the fire. We are also continuing to work with local officials on providing air purifiers, food and other resources to the community. Our donation to CCF represents our desire to activate funding quickly and nimbly to the organizations making the greatest, most immediate impact on the ground.
“… We also continue to work closely with the Los Angeles Fire Department and other agencies to support their efforts to fight the fire and protect the community. To augment their brave and tireless efforts, we have leveraged our network to source high-powered water cannons from Texas, fund helicopters to continue water drops, and partnered with other industrial companies to secure additional equipment to speed up fire suppression efforts.
“We also proactively took steps to pump out the ammonia and transport it offsite, removing the possibility of ammonia posing a risk to the community. We can confirm that no measurable ammonia concentrations have been recorded in the community since the fire began, and we continue to be grateful to Los Angeles’ remarkable firefighters for their brave and tireless response.”
The city’s local emergency declaration does several things, including:
— Directs the city’s Emergency Operations Organization to be immediately activated and to take “such steps as may be necessary or appropriate for the protection of life, health or property.”
— Directs all city departments impacted by this event, and its ongoing effects, to conduct damage assessments and collect any relevant cost estimates.
— Requests that the governor waive regulations that may hinder response and recovery efforts; that recovery assistance be made available under the California Disaster Assistance Act; and that the state expedite access to state and federal resources and any other appropriate disaster relief programs.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis, who represents East L.A., said she will introduce a motion on Tuesday to declare a state of emergency at the county level as well.
Meanwhile, Solis said the City Terrace Park shelter was providing masks, bottled water, non-perishable food and information from public health and air quality officials. Transportation assistance, including coordinated rides, will also be made available to help residents safely access the site, she said.
Information about the shelter, available services or transportation assistance is available at AlertLA.org.
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