On Wednesday a warehouse fire erupted in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights, just east of Downtown L.A. The solar panels on the roof of a cold food storage facility continued to blaze through the night, billowing toxic smoke into the atmosphere, and thwarting any efforts made by the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) to contain it.
It is five days later, and the building is still burning.
Officials say a fire that broke out at a Lineage cold food storage facility on South Los Palos Street in Boyle Heights appeared to be contained to the roof and solar panel system.
A shelter-in-place order was in effect for the area south of the 101 Freeway to Washington Boulevard and east of Soto Street to Indiana Street. The order was lifted around 8:45 p.m.
About 70 people were evacuated on two streets, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
An ammonia line was compromised due to the blaze, but the leak was later contained, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The LAPD issued a city-wide tactical alert, increasing the number of available officers.
In August 2024, firefighters responded to a solar panel fire on the roof of the same building.
Take note of that last point. LAFD mitigated a fire at this building before, which was caused by the same issue. However, thanks to the cuts that both Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass have enacted to the fire budget which would have shored up prevention and mitigation, one wonders if any follow-up or inspection had been done to prevent this from occurring again.
Too little, too late.
As the toxic materials continue to burn and smoke fills the air, affecting the surrounding neighborhoods, it is indeed a state of emergency. ABC7 reported on the lack of progress on Saturday, FOUR days after the fire began.
WATCH:
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
Here is the state of the air quality at Elysian Park, where the Los Angeles Dodgers play their home games.
The smoke from the nearby Boyle Heights warehouse fire has enshrouded Dodger Stadium in an acrid, nasty haze. Not sure I’d want to sit here and watch as a fan, much less play the game, unless conditions improve. pic.twitter.com/EyE15p8fge
— Ben Bolch (@calpostbbolch) June 21, 2026
Read More: Fired Former LAFD Chief Has Had Just About Enough of Karen Bass, Sues Her for 'Lying'
Spencer Pratt Posts Incredible Response Ad to Latest Dem Attack, Then Gets Serious About New Fire
However, it took four days before Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency.
Why did it take days to declare the emergency? Governor Newsom proclaims State of Emergency in Los Angeles for the Boyle Heights fire response | Governor of California https://t.co/UcHx88QDuE
— GloriaRomero (@GloriaJRomero) June 21, 2026
L.A. city officials said Saturday they expected to declare a state of emergency as firefighters continue to battle a stubborn warehouse fire in Boyle Heights that has sent plumes of irritating smoke across the region.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jamie Moore described the blaze that broke out Wednesday as a “very unique fire, a very unique challenge for the Los Angeles Fire Department, for the city of Los Angeles, but also for the County of Los Angeles.”
The 500,000-square-foot commercial building at 1400 S. Los Palos St. houses 85 million pounds of frozen food “like a giant cooler,” he said. The corrugated steel walls are filled with very dense foam that is burning slowly and off-gassing despite ongoing water drops from helicopters.
Moore cautioned people with lung issues or smoke sensitivity to avoid outdoor activities, but said crews have mitigated the hazardous-materials portion of the blaze and are now focused on the biohazard portion posed by spoiled food.
A shelter-in-place order for residents was lifted on Friday, but many across the region on social media reported thick smoke smells, haze and poor air quality in the San Gabriel Valley, Northeast Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, downtown Los Angeles and many other areas.
Some said the smoke was as bad, if not worse, than during the Eaton fire that burned in Altadena in January 2025.
Apparently Newsom was too busy hobnobbing in Chicago with former President Barack Obama at Obama's new presidential library. Newsom is also taking every opportunity to piss and moan about being targeted by President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice because of his First Partner's corrupt non-profits. State of emergency? To him the only emergency is they're coming after him and therefore democracy is in peril. Los Angeles burning? Ain't nothing but a thing.
Then there is Mayor of L.A. Karen Bass. Since June 17, there have been X posts about the fire and the efforts to combat it issued from the Mayor of L.A. account. But an intern could be sending those out, and it can be done from anywhere on the planet. The question is: was Bass in the city running point on this?
Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt alleges that she was not.
Karen was sipping cocktails in Chicago when the Boyle Heights Fire erupted, just as she was sipping cocktails in Ghana when our Palisades Fire erupted. I warned you all...what happened to us will happen to all of LA. That smoke choking out LA is full of lead. Don't breathe it! https://t.co/U0DSMqRhL0 pic.twitter.com/HnBLFvl2uj
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) June 21, 2026
As does Republican Lt. Gov. candidate Gloria Romero:
So once again, she was out partying and failed to act quickly when east LA caught fire? https://t.co/oe7WIwLpJu
— GloriaRomero (@GloriaJRomero) June 21, 2026
It's quite amazing: Karen Bass manages to be out of town — or the country — when disaster strikes the city. At this rate, she's going to ensure there is no Los Angeles left by the end of her second term.
In the meantime, former California Assemblywoman and current State Senate Candidate Wendy Carrillo (D) is directing her anger at District 1 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Hilda Solis, which encompasses Boyle Heights. Carrillo claims Solis is participating in environmental racism.
Mmmkay.
‼️ @HildaSolis - DO YOUR JOB.
— WendyCarrillo (@wendycarrillo) June 21, 2026
The Boyle Heights fire is one block / across the street from East Los Angeles and it is a disgrace that you have not done more to help East LA families who are inhaling toxic smoke. It’s day 4 and people are getting sick.
You have done NOTHING… pic.twitter.com/JyrlRiiUUW
‼️ @HildaSolis - DO YOUR JOB.
The Boyle Heights fire is one block / across the street from East Los Angeles and it is a disgrace that you have not done more to help East LA families who are inhaling toxic smoke. It’s day 4 and people are getting sick.
You have done NOTHING since the 25,000 gallons of oil spilled onto East LA a couple of weeks ago and now this.
SHAMEFUL response and clear environmental racism.
This is exactly what Spencer Pratt warned about during his campaign. It's a shame people failed to take him seriously. Thanks to the shenanigans in the L.A. mayor's race, the citizens now have the choice between Bass and Nithyha Raman, a Democrat socialist who thinks she can solve fire problems by banning grilling on red flag days.
It's clown world in California, from the top to the bottom. It would be funny if it didn't involve the tragic loss of lives and property.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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