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Residents demand facility to be shut down permanently
A community is rallying following a toxic warehouse fire in Boyle Heights.
LOS ANGELES - Residents in Boyle Heights are demanding the food storage facility that caught fire two weeks ago be permanently shut down.
What we know:
The massive fire that sparked last month at the warehouse caused health concerns. Now, residents are dealing with the smell of rotting food that was stored at the facility.
Dozens of people rallied to rally Thursday morning and in response, the company said it is working around the clock to clean up the huge mess.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Rotting pig feet, crab meat, beef at burned Boyle Heights warehouse fueling odor, health concerns
- Boyle Heights warehouse fire cleanup continues as crews tackle odors, clear out rotten food
- Fire out at Boyle Heights warehouse; air quality concerns remain
What they're saying:
Neighbors say they can't sleep because of the smell.
"They're demanding environmental studies. We don't know the long-term effects or side effects that this fire could bring to the people," said Elizabeth Hernandez of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment.
"They are sick and tired and they definitely do not want any more of these warehouses in the community at all," said Hernandez.
The other side:
Lineage sent FOX11 a statement saying in part: "This site is used to store and distribute frozen food - not hazardous materials... Additionally, our team quickly removed ammonia from the facility, with no concentrations of ammonia being detected in the air at any time since the fire began."
An open letter from the company's CEO to the community said they are working to address the smell, pests, and waste removal. He could not say how long the cleanup would take.
The Source: This report is based entirely on provided statements from neighborhood rally participants, the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, and official corporate responses from Lineage.