Mayor Bass blocks rebuilding of fire-damaged Lineage warehouse amid community rally

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an emergency executive order on Friday to block city departments from processing rebuilding plans for the Lineage Logistics cold-storage warehouse following a massive June fire. 

The order coincided with a community demonstration where Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles residents demanded the facility's permanent closure, relocation assistance, and immediate housing relief due to decaying food waste, foul odors, and severe pest infestations.

What we know:

The fire broke out on June 17 at the facility located at 1400 S. Los Palos St., generating thick smoke that triggered local emergency declarations across the city, county, and state. It took emergency crews more than a week to fully put out the fire. 

During a July 15 inspection, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) investigators documented uncorrected public health violations, including decaying organic waste, wastewater, food residue, and live and dead flies throughout the facility. 

Inspectors also discovered fly larvae on plastic sheeting, nearby sidewalks, and the street along Union Pacific Avenue.

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The county issued six citations against Lineage, ordering the company to remove all fire-damaged food waste, eliminate vector breeding sources, sanitize affected areas, and implement pest control measures. 

After initially fining Lineage $500 per day for each citation, public health officials raised financial penalties this week to up to $2,000 per violation per day, citing each violation separately.

Mayor Bass criticized Lineage leadership for failing to support nearby residents or offer relocation assistance to those most impacted by the ongoing environmental nuisance.

During a press conference Friday morning, Bass also requested the City Council approve an ordinance to enact a moratorium on large cold-storage facilities near residential areas, parks and schools. This would give the city an opportunity to study the issues and enact new legislation regulating such facilities.

"Lineage's priority must be finishing this cleanup. I can't believe they would even think about starting the rebuilding process while they haven't cleaned up the mess," Bass said. "It's a slap in the face to the families who are living every day with the horrific smells, the growing fly infestation and the constant uncertainty about when this hell will end."

Bass earlier set a 45-day deadline for Lineage to complete the cleanup of the site. Company officials said last week they respect the community's outrage with continuing odors and other impacts, but said they are working as quickly as possible to clear the site.

What we don't know:

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by authorities. 

It's unclear whether Lineage will complete all mandated cleanup work within the city's 45-day remediation deadline. 

Timeline:

• June 17: A major fire breaks out at the Lineage Logistics warehouse at 1400 S. Los Palos St., prompting local emergency declarations.
• June 29: DPH issues a directive requiring Lineage to initiate community mitigation efforts regarding decaying food waste.
• July 15: DPH investigators conduct an inspection and identify outstanding public health violations, including pest infestations.
• July 23: Public health officials begin issuing formal citations and daily fines against Lineage.
• July 25: Lineage states that food waste from the burned-out section of the facility has been sealed in deodorized containers for off-site disposal.
• Wednesday: DPH announces an increase in financial penalties against Lineage, charging up to $2,000 per violation per day.
• Friday: Mayor Bass issues an emergency executive order halting the processing of rebuilding plans for the facility as residents hold a community rally at Indiana Street and Union Pacific Avenue.

What they're saying:

Accusing company officials of neglecting the surrounding community, Bass detailed the reasoning behind her executive action during a Friday news conference.

"They failed to adequately address the horrific odors. They failed to prevent flies and rats from migrating to the neighborhoods around the warehouse. And that's why today I'm issuing emergency executive order number three, directing city departments not to process Lineage rebuilding plans until the city and the public have had an opportunity to review the investigation."

Community organizers behind Friday's demonstration—including the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, Eastside Padres Contra la Privatización, and East Area UTLA—stated that residents "...continue to complain about foul odors emanating from the warehouse and are demanding a full environmental investigation, a thorough cleanup of the surrounding area, immediate housing relief for affected families, transparency regarding state emergency funding and accountability for Lineage and government agencies involved in the response."

Addressing the ongoing cleanup challenges, Lineage said in a statement: "We are working around the clock on odor control, pest control and the removal of food waste and we will not stop until the site is clean and the community can move forward. Cleaning up a site with this much food waste is an enormous undertaking and we understand why regulators are watching closely — we would expect nothing less. As more waste is removed and our cleanup efforts progress, we expect conditions to continue to improve. The citations simply reflect the reality of what we're dealing with not a lack of urgency or commitment on our part. ... We are moving as fast and safely as we can and doing everything we can for this community until the cleanup is finished."

Regarding the cause of the fire, Lineage officials suggested the blaze began during rooftop solar array testing conducted by a subcontractor for Altus Power. Altus Power addressed the ongoing investigation, stating that the cause "...has not been determined, and its primary concern remains the surrounding community."

What's next:

City departments are prohibited from processing any of Lineage's rebuilding application paperwork until public officials and community members have the opportunity to review the findings of the fire investigation. 

Meanwhile, public health officials continue to conduct regular compliance inspections and monitor corrective actions at the site. 

The county warned that additional citations will be issued if unsanitary conditions or public nuisances persist during subsequent site visits.

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