Emergency declared as fire persists
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has declared a state of emergency for the city as firefighters continue to struggle containing a blaze at a cold-storage facility in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. The fire, which started on June 17, has been spewing smoke across the metro area, prompting shelter-in-place orders and health concerns.
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents Boyle Heights, said in a statement: “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.”
State aid requested
The emergency declaration asks Governor Gavin Newsom to expedite state relief and send any aid available under the California Disaster Assistance Act. Firefighters managed to extinguish the rooftop fire quickly, but lingering dangers within the building have made it difficult to completely stop the blaze. Smoke continues to waft from the building, carried by wind into other areas of the county.
Air quality and health risks
Officials initially ordered local residents to shelter in place due to air pollution and the possibility of ammonia contamination. Los Angeles city and county have opened smoke relief centers for affected families. Bass stated, “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.”
The fire began when the solar-panel array on the roof of the 500,000-square-foot cold-storage facility caught fire. As firefighters attempted to contain it, an ammonia line ruptured, making the blaze more dangerous. Ammonia, commonly used as a commercial refrigerant, is highly flammable and can emit toxic fumes. Firefighters were forced to retreat and fight the fire from a safer distance, using helicopters to drop water. Foam within the building has continued to slowly burn, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Biohazard challenges ahead
Once the fire is completely extinguished, the Los Angeles Fire Department will need to remove some 85 million pounds of rotted food. Officials are working on the biohazard challenges potentially posed by spoiled foods such as bread, poultry, pork, and beef.
