As firefighters continue to battle a stubborn and complex fire at a massive refrigerated warehouse in Boyle Heights, residents and businesses owners have expressed frustration and health concerns as neighorhoods have been engulfed by smoke.
Inside Jim’s Burgers, not far from the burning warehouse, restaurant owner Manuel Orozco and his workers wore face masks as they tried to keep busy in a mostly empty diner.
“No one is coming and it’s because of the smoke,” he said Tuesday. “It’s been a difficult time.”
Orozco estimated that the nearby fire had caused sales to drop by 70% over the past week. He said at least two workers had been unable to come in due to health issues such as high-blood pressure and asthma.
The fire at the cold storage facility has been burning for over a week and has prompted declarations of a state of emergency by local and state officials.
In a written statement, building tenant-operator Lineage, previously known as Lineage Logistics, said it believed the fire began while third-party contractors were testing the solar array on the roof.
Fire officials said they suspect the fire started on the roof. State regulators said Tuesday they had launched an investigation into the incident.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore said that fighting the fire had been extremely challenging. He said the 500,000-square-foot commercial building, which stores 85 million pounds of frozen food, is like a giant cooler. Inside, fire officials said, corrugated steel walls are filled with very dense foam that has been burning slowly and emitting gases despite ongoing water drops from helicopters.
Firefighters have been unable to enter the building due to large portions of the roof collapsing and resting on steel racks, about 50 feet tall and 600 feet long, making it unsafe for fire crews, according to fire authorities.
Firefighters have also been unable to do much fighting from the roof because of solar panels that pose a risk to the integrity of the building. The solar panels were producing power until recently when firefighters cut the power off.
The smoke from the fire, which has prompted smoke advisories, has made its way to neighboring communities in the region, affecting many residents living near the warehouse.
Official focus includes disaster assistance, compensation
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors ratified its local emergency proclamation to expedite access to state and federal resources, support ongoing response and recovery efforts, and help secure disaster assistance for affected communities.
The board also approved a motion directing county agencies to continue health monitoring, environmental assessments, and community support efforts.
The motion, introduced by Board Chair Hilda Solis and co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn, also directed the county to work with city and state partners to investigate the incident, pursue potential enforcement actions and explore compensation options for affected residents and businesses.
In discussing the matter, Hahn also called for the county to look into establishing an emergency stockpile of air purifiers and other critical supplies to better prepare for future disasters. A feasibility study is expected to be completed in 30 days.
In a separate action, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, whose district includes Boyle Heights, introduced three motions at an L.A. City Council meeting Tuesday. One motion, expected to go before the City Council later this week, aims to provide funding to Neighborhood Councils for air purifiers, air filters and protective equipment.
A second motion directs the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to increase DASH service for the Boyle Heights and East L.A. route. A third directs the Los Angeles Fire Department to create a report detailing the cause of the fire, the facility’s compliance history and oversight protocols for similar facilities. No action is expected on the latter two yet.
Jurado said the package of motions is an effort to provide support for residents and obtain answers about what led to the ongoing disaster.
“For nearly a week, families in Boyle Heights and in East Los Angeles have been living with smoke, odors, ash, disrupted routines, and serious concerns about what this means for their health and well-being,” she said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. “Parents have been worrying about their children. Seniors have been wondering whether it is safe to leave their homes. Workers have been navigating commutes through smoke and uncertainty, and small businesses have been trying to keep their doors open while facing the same concern as everyone else.”
“People are tired, they’re anxious, and they deserve answers,” she added.
As the fire continued Tuesday, smoke continued to make its way to East Los Angeles.
Smoke invades their businesses, even their sleep
Inside MV Automotive at East Olympic Boulevard and Alma Avenue, Manny Villasenor, whose father owns the mechanic shop, said the smoke had forced him to close earlier. He uses fans in the bays for the mechanics. He said at least one worker with asthma was told to stay home.
Three blocks away, Cristina Medrano, owner of Kassandra’s Beauty Salon, said the heavy smoke had forced her to cancel several appointments, including four on June 17, when the fire erupted.
She and another employee wear masks inside the shop and keep the doors closed at all times. The smoke has meant fewer clients and curtailed shop hours; she closed completely on two days, she said.
“It’s been frustrating,” she said. “I thought it was going to be a one-day thing or a few hours, but now, I don’t know how many more days.”
Medrano said said she was concerned about the long-term effects of the smoke on her and her family.
“Even when the doors are closed, you can smell it,” she said.
She said the smoke was so invasive that she could smell it when she slept.
Orozco, the owner of Jim’s Burgers, said he too worried about the health effects on his wife and two kids.
He started his business more than 20 years ago, he said, and has faced a number of challenges. The introduction of food delivery services with the pandemic led to a decline in walk-in business. Then, the ongoing federal immigration operations in the city have also driven people away. Street vendors offer lower prices compared to his, which have been affected by high inflation. Now, the fire delivered a further blow.
Still, Orozco remains optimistic.
“Life is not always terrible,” he said. “It will get better.”
Times staff photographer Myung Chun contributed to this report.
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