Boyle Heights residents to hold rally demanding closure of Lineage Logistics warehouse

LOS ANGELES - Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles residents are taking to the streets Friday to demand the permanent closure of the Lineage Logistics cold-storage warehouse following a massive June fire. 

Facing persistent foul odors and pest infestations, organizers are pressing government officials for immediate housing relief, financial transparency, and full environmental accountability.

What we know:

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

Following a July 15 inspection, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) issued six citations against Lineage for severe health violations. Inspectors documented decaying organic waste, accumulated wastewater, live and dead flies throughout the facility, and fly larvae spreading to nearby sidewalks and streets.

In response, the county ordered Lineage to eliminate vector breeding sources, sanitize all affected areas, and safely dispose of all decomposing waste. 

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Daily fines against Lineage have now been raised to up to $2,000 per violation. 

For its part, Lineage stated on July 25 that food waste from the damaged building had been sealed in deodorized containers and transported off-site.

Organizers behind Friday's 9:30 a.m. demonstration at Indiana Street and Union Pacific Avenue include the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, Eastside Padres Contra la Privatización, and East Area UTLA.

What we don't know:

The exact cause of the fire remains unconfirmed. 

While Lineage officials suggested the fire began during rooftop solar array testing conducted by a subcontractor for Altus Power, Altus Power maintains that the cause is still undetermined. 

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

Timeline:

• June 17: A major fire breaks out at the Lineage Logistics facility, leading to local emergency declarations.
• June 29: DPH issues a directive requiring Lineage to initiate community mitigation efforts due to decaying food waste.
• July 15: DPH investigators inspect the facility and find uncorrected public health violations, including pest infestations.
• July 23: Public health officials begin issuing formal citations and daily fines against Lineage.
• July 25: Lineage announces that damaged food waste has been sealed in specialized containers for off-site removal.
• Thursday: DPH announces an increase in financial penalties up to $2,000 per violation per day.
• Friday: Residents gather for a community rally at Indiana Street and Union Pacific Avenue.

What they're saying:

Community organizers emphasize that residents are suffering from intolerable living conditions caused by the site. 

According to event organizers, community members "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."

Regarding the cause of the blaze, Altus Power stated that the cause "has not been determined, and its primary concern remains the surrounding community."