A massive fire at a Boyle Heights warehouse was extinguished Wednesday evening, but residents in several Eastside neighborhoods are still trying to assess air quality and possible health hazards from ammonia that leaked during the blaze.
The fire broke out on the roof covered with solar panels at the cold storage facility at 1400 S. Los Palos St. The flames reached an ammonia line, which began off-gassing and led to a small explosion, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
LAFD Fire Chief Jaime Moore said ammonia leaks are not toxic to people unless they have breathing problems or come into direct contact with ammonia.
When asked at a Thursday morning news conference outside the building if there was any remaining risk to residents with respiratory problems, Moore said “absolutely zero.”
“We've been monitoring the air throughout this incident – monitoring the smoke plumes, monitoring the air, monitoring the inside of the building, monitoring the outside of the building – and we've found nothing of any concern,” he said.
Anhydrous ammonia is widely used as a refrigerant in industrial areas. The toxic controlled substance is corrosive to the skin, eyes and lungs, and high levels of exposure can lead to suffocation, burns and death, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
No injuries were reported.
The fire resulted in an area that includes an area roughly south of the 101 Freeway to Washington Boulevard, and east of Soto Street to Indiana Street. Residents of those areas were told to stay indoors, close the vents and turn off the air conditioning. The order was issued on Wednesday night.
A broad smog advisory has been issued in East Los Angeles, members of the public are urged to limit outdoor exercise and those with health issues to stay indoors.
An air quality advisory is in place east of downtown Los Angeles and parts of the San Gabriel Valley until 10 a.m. Thursday, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Members of the public watch as firefighters and paramedics battle a blaze in Boyle Heights on Wednesday.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Air quality controllers used a mobile air monitor to take instrument measurements along the tunnel path. There was a high level of particulate matter recorded in the area of the fire on Wednesday afternoon which calmed the air in the area as the smoke cleared. AQMD did not report elevated levels of ammonia in the air on Wednesday.
The fire broke out shortly after 2:30 pm in the nearly 500,000-square-foot warehouse owned by Lineage Logistics.
Lineage Logistics offers cold storage and blasting ice within the main building. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lineage Logistics has previously been accused of failing to comply with safety regulations to prevent the accidental release of anhydrous ammonia. In 2023, the company agreed to pay a fine to the EPA over how its facility in Altoona, Iowa, was exposed to chemical hazards caused by more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia stored at the site.
The Boyle Heights warehouse also caught fire in August 2024, although that incident was less severe. Crews quickly set up hose lines on the roof and contained the fire to a portion of the solar panels on top of the building, which was extinguished within 48 minutes with no reported injuries, according to the LAFD at the time.
Staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this article.
