LA residents scramble for masks, air purifiers as Boyle Heights warehouse fire fuels smoke concerns
Air quality issues linger amid Boyle Heights fire
Air quality issues from the Boyle Heights warehouse fire has prompted nearby residents to scramble for air purifier machines and masks.
LOS ANGELES - Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles County on Saturday as firefighters continued battling flare-ups at a massive Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse, where spoiled food and smoke have created a growing public health concern.
The fire broke out shortly before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at a Lineage Logistics facility in the 1400 block of South Los Palos Street. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also issued a local emergency declaration Saturday to help bring in additional resources as crews worked to contain the fire and begin planning for a major cleanup.
Officials said the warehouse holds an estimated 85 million pounds of food, including meat and other perishable products. With refrigeration systems compromised, much of that food is beginning to spoil, creating what officials described as a biohazard challenge.
Shelter-in-place orders have been lifted, but smoke continues to affect surrounding neighborhoods. Air quality officials extended a particle pollution advisory through Sunday afternoon and urged people who see or smell smoke to remain indoors, keep windows and doors closed, and avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure.
For families living downwind in East Los Angeles, the emergency has become part of daily life. Some residents said they were unaware that masks and other resources were available.
"I wasn’t aware of that, and I’m not sure if the city is going to be helping out," East Los Angeles resident Adrian Maldonado told FOX 11.
The concern is especially high for families with children.
"Very concerned," East Los Angeles resident Jesus Arana said when asked about his health. "Mainly for the younger kids, for the little babies — we’re concerned about them. We’re looking into getting them purifiers."
At Boyle Heights City Hall, officials initially had a limited number of air purifiers available, but donations have since come into Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s district office since the fire began.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis told FOX 11 that officials cannot rely only on online alerts because some residents most affected by the smoke may never see them.
"We have people on the ground. We’ve had people there since day one," Solis said. "They’ve been distributing flyers as well as masks. We have a team out today."
Fire officials said the firefight remains unusually complex because of the size and design of the roughly 500,000-square-foot cold-storage facility. The building’s thick insulation, solar panels, high storage racks and lingering hot spots have made it too dangerous for firefighters to move through the structure.
"The towers of pallets are racks that are 65 feet in height," Los Angeles Fire Chief Jaime Moore said. "It’s so dangerous, and typically these fires kill firefighters."
Los Angeles County Fire Department crews have used aircraft more commonly seen on wildfires to drop water and fire-suppression gel on the structure. Officials compared the building to a giant cooler because of the thick foam insulation surrounding the cold-storage area.
"The roofing material is six feet thick of foam," said John O’Brien, chief deputy of emergency operations for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. "That means you’ve got to burrow down six feet before you penetrate into the opening where the cold-storage area is."
At one relief center at City Terrace Park, East Los Angeles resident Angela Barraza said she came looking for help after feeling dizzy in the smoke. She said wearing a mask helped, but she does not believe masks alone are enough for families trying to sleep through the poor air.
"Seeing our people struggle and trying to get some masks, trying to get some purifiers, and they have nothing, just a mask," Barraza said.
Barraza said she planned to take her 1-year-old son, Raymond, out of the neighborhood and stay in a hotel for the rest of the weekend.
"I’ve been through the Facebook pages where they’re like, ‘Nobody’s helping us,’ and they’re just coming and talking and talking, but nothing’s getting done," she said.
Officials said no injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.