Massive Warehouse Fire in Boyle Heights Prompts Shelter-in-Place Order
Quick Look
- A large fire at a massive warehouse in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon sent dark smoke billowing into the sky, triggering shelter-in-place orders due to concerns over hazardous air.
- The fire, which was on the roof of a solar-panel-covered building, was extinguished by late afternoon.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A fire broke out at a large warehouse in Los Angeles, prompting a shelter-in-place order due to potential hazardous air. The fire was on the roof of a building covered in solar panels.
LOS ANGELES -- A fire at a massive warehouse blackened the skies near downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon, prompting shelter-in-place orders in the area due to the risk of hazardous air.
Los Angeles firefighters responded around 2:30 p.m. to the blaze, which was sending large plumes of dark smoke into the air in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. Local news stations showed smoke billowing from the burning roof of the warehouse, which was covered in solar panels.
Officials issued an alert to the area shortly after, warning of “hazardous materials nearby.” Residents were told to close all windows, doors and vents, turn off air conditioning and bring people and pets to an inside room.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Jennifer Middleton said there was previous concern over the fire burning an ammonia line, but that danger had “dissipated.” The roof blaze had been extinguished by late afternoon and firefighters were entering the building to assess the interior, Middleton said.
The building at the address is listed online as a cold storage warehouse owned by Lineage Logistics for the transport of frozen or other temperature-controlled goods. It contains 491,000 square feet (45,600 square meters) of warehouse space, according to its website. The company did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Open Questions
- What caused the fire?
- Were there any injuries?
- What specific hazardous materials were involved?
