Boyle Heights Recovery Updates
Lineage Inc., operator of the warehouse at 1400 Los Palos Street, is responsible for debris removal, cleanup, and public nuisance mitigation.
Lineage is providing updates at: OneLineage.com/Boyle-Heights-Fire-Response
Impacted residents may request recovery resources directly from Lineage.
Airbnb is providing free temporary housing to eligible residents impacted by the warehouse fire.
Link to additional recovery resources for L.A. County residents.
This is an active emergency. Information collected here is general, may change without notice, and is not a guarantee. Cost and timeline figures are preliminary estimates, often from third-party sources. References to outside companies or contractors are not endorsements. For health and safety decisions, follow official agency guidance. In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1. Read the full disclaimer
Incident Overview
On June 17, fire ignited at the Lineage, Inc. storage facility in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. The fire burned within a heavily insulated, 491,000-square-foot cold storage structure, requiring around-the-clock firefighting operations by the Los Angeles City Fire Department and mutual aid partners.
This resulted in a shelter-in-place order for neighboring residents and extended air-quality advisories from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) affecting central Los Angeles County, the San Gabriel Valley, East San Fernando Valley, and Northwest San Bernardino Valley.
While the shelter order has been lifted, an estimated 85 million pounds of frozen food product were stored within the facility.
On June 20, Mayor Bass issued a Declaration of Local Emergency which was followed by an Emergency Declaration from Governor Newsom. These declarations mobilized resources and allowed the Mayor to ensure the City has adequate support and capacity to respond. In response to the State of Emergency, the LAFD successfully acquired critical mutual aid from various partners, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the Fire Departments of Beverly Hills, Culver City, and Orange, as well as Anaheim Fire and Rescue, the Ventura County Fire Department, and additional agencies. LAFD officially announced the knockdown of the fire on Wednesday, June 24
Mayor Bass issued two Emergency Executive Orders to accelerate remediation and recovery, strengthen environmental protections, and ensure accountability and transparency following the Lineage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights.
Among the more than 80 directives in the Emergency Executive Orders, they will establish a centralized command structure to execute aggressive remediation timelines; surge City resources to support impacted residents, workers, and businesses; deploy mobile health screening and mental health stations in the community; pursue legal options for cost recovery; and strengthen environmental oversight of industrial facilities.
Weather for the Impacted Area
See the National Weather Service's detailed forecast for the Boyle Heights area.
The National Weather Service-Los Angeles warns of extreme heat that includes the impacted area, through July 16 – potentially reaching major heat risk levels.
Find free cooling locations and heat-illness information at: Emergency.LACity.gov/Heat, including locations of dedicated City cooling centers with extended hours.
Community Resource Center
This center serves as a centralized location where residents and businesses of Boyle Heights and nearby communities can obtain air purifiers, food kits, financial assistance, help transitioning to a new job, health services, and access to various recovery resources and City and County programs.
Lou Costello Jr. Recreation Center
3141 E. Olympic Boulevard, L.A. 90023
Hours: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM Monday-Friday; 10:00 AM-2:00 PM Saturday (Closed Sunday)
One air purifier per household while supplies last. Proof of address will be requested at pickup to assist in keeping track of distribution.
The City shelter at Pecan Recreation Center (145 S. Pecan Street, L.A. 90033) has returned to regular operations and will also be open for extended hours (10:00 AM- 9:00 PM) as a City dedicated Cooling Center, Tuesday, July 14-Thursday, July 16. Residents are welcome to use the center during the day for refuge and to connect with available resources. Pets are welcome. For full assistance, residents are encouraged to go to the Community Resource Center listed above.
Mobile Health Clinic
Mayor Bass announced an extension of multiple mobile health clinics near Boyle Heights in partnership with community health providers. No appointments are necessary. Health services available include:
- Respiratory health screenings
- Oxygen level checks
- Asthma and breathing assessments
- Blood pressure and basic health screenings
- Eye and skin irritation evaluations
- Health education on smoke exposure
- Mental-health support
- Care navigation and referrals
- Connection to ongoing primary care
Fire Management
LAFD Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) members will remain engaged during the remediation process to ensure regulatory compliance during the removal and disposal of any hazardous waste, such as lithium-ion batteries.
Removal of Remaining Food Debris
Lineage and its contractors began removing food waste stored at the warehouse on Sunday, June 28. Food waste is being moved to Riverside County and Municipal Solid Waste to Sunshine Canyon in L.A. County.
A modified haul route is being established by Lineage, the warehouse operator. That route will be reviewed and finalized by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) to limit the impact a steady stream of trucks could have on surrounding neighborhoods. LADOT will also manage traffic during the removal operations and pre- and post-hauling road condition surveys. Prior to finalizing hauling routes, the public will be given the opportunity to review and comment.
Odor Mitigation
Agency partners are working with the facility to assist with identifying odor mitigation measures to minimize impacts to Boyle Heights and the surrounding communities. Impacted residents can report odors, smoke, and other air quality issues to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) by calling 1-800-CUT-SMOG (1-800-288-7664), via AQMD's online complaint portal, or through their mobile app. AQMD responds to all air quality complaints received from the public.
Guidance from LA County Public Health:
- Olores ambientales: Lo que debe saber
- (PDF, español)
- Environmental Odors: What You Should Know
- (PDF, English)
- (PDF, English)
Pest Control
Lineage has contracted with Orkin to manage pests that may enter the warehouse by adding additional bait stations. Orkin has applied Actizyme, an organic-based material mixed with Nibor-D, as both a liquid and foam in and around the building to target flies, gnats and mosquitoes.
Outside of the warehouse, Cats USA, a pest control contractor for the City of Los Angeles, has conducted a pest assessment at the direction of Mayor Bass, and bait stations have been placed around the perimeter of the warehouse as well as on adjacent residential streets. In total, 250 bait stations have been installed in the public right-of-way around the warehouse perimeter and in the immediate neighborhood. CATS USA is conducting daily inspections of the bait stations, servicing them as needed, and monitoring pest activity around the site.
Guidance from LA County Public Health:
Air Quality Monitoring
South Coast AQMD is conducting continuous air monitoring for particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter (PM 2.5) in real-time at Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School and Eastman Avenue Elementary School. All data is being fed into South Coast AQMD’s air quality map that can be found at www.AQMD.gov or by downloading the free South Coast AQMD mobile app.
Lineage contracted with Onterris to conduct real-time air monitoring surrounding the site – in coordination with and oversight by AQMD – for the following:
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Atmospheric flammability measured as a percentage of the lower explosive limit (%LEL)
- Ammonia (NH3)
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
- Atmospheric oxygen percentage (O2)
- Fine particulate matter measuring less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5)
- Coarse particulate matter measuring less than 10 micrometers (PM10)
- Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
- Total volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
View results here.
In addition, Onterris is conducting air monitoring at stationary sites for VOCs at eight sites and for metals at three sites. The stationary locations (for VOCs and metals) include Humphreys Avenue Elementary School; Ford Boulevard Elementary School; Maywood Elementary School; 4355 Downey Road; Christopher Dena Elementary School; Lorena Street Elementary School; Eastman Avenue Elementary School; and Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School. Onterris is submitting results daily to the South Coast AQMD and LA County Department of Public Health. Onterris is working with SCAQMD to finalize its Community Air Monitoring Plan.
Guidance from LA County Public Health:
- Guía sobre la Calidad del Aire y la Salud: Qué Hacer
- (PDF, español)
- Air Quality and Health Guidance: What to Do
- (PDF, English)
- Qué hacer cuando hay humo en el aire
- (PDF, español)
- What to do when there's smoke in the air
- (PDF, English)
- (PDF, English)
Runoff Water Testing
The City’s Bureau of Sanitation (LASAN) is monitoring any water flow from the building resulting from post-firefighting activities. The LASAN Watershed Protection Division is currently testing samples of water that were previously entering the storm drain system near Noakes Street and Indiana Street.
If any water were to leave the property it would enter a City of Los Angeles catch basin that leads into an LA County storm-drain system. The County storm drain travels directly to the Los Angeles River and outfalls near Downey Road and Bandini Boulevard. The LASAN Environmental Monitoring Division is checking for the presence of the following: Antimony, Arsenic, Bacteria, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Selenium, Silver, Thallium, Vanadium, and Zinc.
LASAN has used containment tanks, eco dams, catch basin protectors, and vector trucks to capture, contain, and pump all water runoff from the streets adjacent to the facility to the sewer system for treatment. LASAN will continue to monitor and enforce compliance to prevent illicit discharges from the site and ensure that all water is properly removed and treated.
Street Closures
South Indiana Street and Los Palos Street remain closed at Union Pacific Avenue to accommodate trucks and heavy equipment.
Bus Service Enhancements
Los Angeles City's Department of Transportation (LADOT) is making temporary service improvements to better serve the residents of Boyle Heights and nearby areas:
Free DASH Boyle Heights Service:
- Fares have been waived on the DASH Boyle Heights route until further notice.
- Two additional buses have been added to the route.
- Buses are operating daily every 10–15 minutes.
Free Cityride Dial-a-Ride Service
LADOT has also temporarily waived fares for Cityride Dial-a-Ride service for seniors and people with disabilities. A Cityride van is stationed at LAC+USC Medical Center to provide emergency transportation.
Hours: Daily, 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To request same-day service, call: (213) 808-7433; (323) 808-7433; (818) 808-7433
Resident Support through Community Based Organizations
Mayor Bass and the City are working in coordination with multiple organizations to support the community. With the help of local partners, the City has distributed thousands of air purifiers and masks to impacted residents, with thousands more scheduled for delivery and distribution.
In partnership with the California Community Foundation, more than $1.5 million has been raised and granted to more than 20 community partners to support immediate relief for impacted residents and businesses. With these funds, the following community organizations are providing services that include medical assistance, food assistance, health resources, direct cash assistance, and more:
Employment Services
Available through the City's WorkSource Centers:
- In-person and Virtual Rapid Response Services for displaced workers;
- Unemployment Insurance assistance in partnership with the California Employment Development Department;
- Job search assistance and employment referrals for individuals regardless of immigration or work authorization status through Universal Access services;
- Comprehensive case management for eligible participants;
- Supportive services to remove barriers to employment;
- Access to short-term vocational training and on-the-job training opportunities; and
- Job placement assistance with employers throughout Los Angeles.
Emergency Assistance for Displaced Workers
In coordination with the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), CID will leverage up to $2 million in California Dislocated Worker Additional Assistance funding to provide workforce development career services and supportive services to impacted individuals, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Reemployment services;
- Workforce training;
- Transitional employment;
- Assistance with equipment/tools;
- Assistance with child/dependent care;
- Assistance with work attire;
- Assistance with transportation; and
- Needs related payments.
Youth Employment Services
Through the City’s Boyle Heights YouthSource Center young adults ages 16–30 may access temporary paid employment opportunities through Hire LA's Youth, including:
- 120–180 hours of paid work experience;
- Career exploration;
- Employment readiness workshops; and
- Connections to longer-term education and career pathways.
Services through FamilySource Centers
The City’s FamilySource Centers, El Centro De Ayuda in Boyle Heights, will serve as a critical access point for families affected by the fire by providing comprehensive stabilization services, including:
- Emergency financial assistance for eligible households;
- Food distribution, food pantry, and grocery gift cards;
- Enrollment and referrals for public benefits;
- Case management and family stabilization services;
- Rental and utility assistance for eligible households;
- Housing navigation and homelessness prevention services;
- Referrals for mental health and wellness resources;
- Air purifiers;
- Digital access and resource navigation; and
- Connections to additional City, County, nonprofit, and philanthropic recovery resources.
Small Business Recovery Services
Through the City's established BusinessSource Center, NEW Economics for Women, impacted businesses will have access to recovery resources designed to help stabilize operations and retain jobs, including:
- Small business recovery grants of up to $1,000 for eligible businesses directly impacted by the fire;
- Industrial air purifiers for severely impacted businesses;
- One-on-one business advising;
- Assistance applying for disaster relief programs;
- Access to capital and microloan opportunities;
- Business continuity and recovery planning;
- Commercial lease and financial counseling;
- Marketing and customer recovery strategies;
- Technical assistance with permitting and regulatory requirements; and
- Referrals to additional local, state, and federal business assistance programs.
Older Adult and Senior Services
CID, alongside its local partner, the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF), will ensure that older adults affected by the fire receive essential support through its Senior Center located at Lou Costello Jr Recreation Center and the surrounding areas.
Available services include:
- Daily congregate lunch program for seniors;
- Nutrition education and wellness activities;
- Case management and benefits enrollment assistance;
- Health and wellness programming;
- Social and recreational activities to reduce isolation;
- Information and referrals to supportive services;
- Transportation resource referrals; and
- Connections to caregiver support and additional aging services.