The fire at a massive cold storage facility in Boyle Heights has been raging since June 17th, and has been a massive challenge for local firefighting crews. As a result, on Saturday, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared an official state of emergency for Los Angeles. He stated that he is directing state agencies to provide “additional assistance and resources” to help battle the blaze.
According to The Guardian, the fire originated after the roof of the 500,000-sq-ft facility caught on fire. The initial flames were knocked down, but the structure has presented ongoing hurdles. Los Angeles Daily News (LADN) noted that the facility is part of Lineage, a company that bills itself as the world’s largest temperature-controlled food supply-chain operator. Now, the millions of pounds of frozen food, including poultry, pork, beef, and bread, pose a biohazard challenge as it rots.
Per LADN, Los Angeles Fire Department chief Jaime Moore explained during a Saturday news conference that the building’s layout is a major obstacle. “We have 85 million pounds of frozen food inside of this facility and the way the building has been laid out, it’s very difficult for us to get in there because there’s zero visibility inside,” Moore said. “Our firefighters are not able to just go in there and start moving pallets.”
The problems go well beyond the food
The Guardian reported that the initial response was further complicated when an ammonia line ruptured. Ammonia is used as a commercial refrigerant, but it’s highly flammable and can release toxic fumes, making the environment much riskier for the crews on the ground. Because of this and the lingering smoke, Mayor Karen Bass also issued a declaration of emergency.
“The city and county have opened spaces for families seeking relief from the smoke, and we will continue working around the clock and doing everything possible to put this fire out completely,” Bass said in a news release. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents the area, also echoed the severity of the impact on locals.
An estimated 85 million pounds of food, including meat, poultry and bread products, are beginning to spoil inside the cold storage facility at the center of the massive structure fire in Boyle Heights, complicating response efforts. @abc7abigail has the latest on the local… pic.twitter.com/okv3aWg6IR
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 21, 2026
“This emergency declaration is crucial because Boyle Heights is not just responding to a fire. Residents have lived through days of smoke, shelter-in-place orders, disruptions to daily life, and ongoing questions about what this means for their health and well-being,” Jurado stated.
As of Sunday, July 21, the LADN reported that crews remained engaged throughout the night. They have been utilizing a massive amount of water and even a specialized structural firefighting robot.
Firefighters have reportedly been forced to take a cautious approach, retreating to safer distances and using aerial water drops from helicopters because of wall instability caused by the sheer volume of water being pumped into the structure. The foam inside the building has continued to burn, keeping the smoke levels evolving as weather patterns shift.
Los Angeles Declares Emergency as Boyle Heights Warehouse Fire Continues to Burn
— Washington Eye (@washington_EY) June 21, 2026
Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency as a warehouse fire in Boyle Heights continues releasing smoke and hazardous gases, with residents warned to limit outdoor… pic.twitter.com/I7kz7oHbxD
To help the community, The Guardian stated that the state has made over 5 million N95 respirator masks available for distribution, along with air purifiers and bottled water. The official statement from Newsom noted that “the warehouse fire has produced significant smoke and particulate matter that may affect air quality in surrounding neighborhoods.”
LADN wrote that officials are currently urging residents to limit outdoor exposure as much as possible and keep doors and windows closed. They noted that relief centers have been established at the Pecan Rec Center, City Terrace Park, and the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA, where masks are also being handed out.
Firefighters have been battling a fire at a cold storage facility in Boyle Heights for days, and as the flames are extinguished, the building’s structural integrity is becoming more and more of a concern. https://t.co/iwRBYIrVxr pic.twitter.com/0BgiElcstS
— KTLA (@KTLA) June 21, 2026
According to the LADN, the site is owned by Chill Build LLC. Per their investigation, records show that the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an investigation into the location on June 17, the same day the fire started. The facility is part of a global network for Lineage, which was founded in 2008 by Adam Forste and Kevin Marchetti. Their goal was to keep food fresh from farm to fork.
Los Angeles is no stranger to fire-related emergencies. Just last year, the city struggled with wildfires that affected major landmarks, buildings, and places, causing a reported $50 billion in damage. This year, Newsome had to issue a state of emergency when a toxic chemical tank defied firefighting crews and kept heating up, triggering fears of an explosion.
