Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup: Lineage in final stretch of clearing food waste
Another cleanup deadline for Lineage
Lineage says cleanup at its burned-down Boyle Heights facility is in its final stretch as workers continue removing food waste.
LOS ANGELES - Another day, another deadline for Lineage.
What we know:
Thursday is the AQMD-set deadline for Lineage to remove all foodstuffs from its burned-down Boyle Heights facility.
Lineage maintains that its actual deadline is tomorrow, 45 days from when it got control of the facility from LA City Fire officials.
What they're saying:
In a statement to FOX 11, Lineage says the "cleanup is in its final stretch." The company says hundreds of workers are working around the clock to remove residual food waste, power wash, disinfect and deodorize the site.
Lineage says the remaining food removal is particularly complex because loose product is lodged throughout a six-story rack system spanning 40 miles of shelving. Workers in protective gear have to manually access areas that heavy equipment cannot reach.
The company says progress remains dependent on conditions on the ground and worker safety. Lineage says it has dedicated every available resource to the cleanup, with more than 100,000 work hours logged and total cleanup costs expected to exceed $100 million.
Lineage says it will continue updating local government, regulatory agencies, including the South Coast AQMD, and the surrounding community until the cleanup is complete.
LA’s City Council did extend the mayor’s emergency declaration for the community for another 60 days. Councilmembers are also dealing with the large number of residents' vehicles that were towed or ticketed during and after the fire.
Local perspective:
One resident tells FOX 11 he was told "no" when he asked fire personnel if he should move his vehicles the day the fire started — only to see LAPD tow them the next day.
The council has instructed the LA Fire Department and LAPD to provide relief to residents who had vehicles impounded. Councilmember Jurado is even requesting LADOT and LAPD create a process to cancel any parking-related citations due to "extraordinary circumstances," since many of those residents were under "stay-at-home" orders at the time. LAFD is expected to report on towing operations to the council.