One month after a massive fire ravaged a Los Angeles warehouse, the facility's owners have filed applications to rebuild, despite neighbors enduring a persistent stench of rotting food. The request was publicly criticized by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a social media post earlier this week.
Mayor's condemnation
'I can't believe they would even think about starting the rebuilding process while they haven't cleaned up the mess they've created,' Bass said. 'It's a slap in the face to the families that are forced to live with the consequences of an irresponsible corporation's actions every single day.'
The applications, filed with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, seek permission to 'repair and rebuild' the building to its 'original, pre-fire condition.' The city has not yet approved or denied the permits.
Ongoing health hazards
The weeklong fire in June left behind 85 million pounds of spoiled food, creating a smell residents compare to a 'dead body.' Rats, flies, and odors have plagued the area. An NBC investigation found conditions at the warehouse could lead to rapid population growth of a fly breed known to infect people.
Lineage Logistics, the cold-storage company operating the warehouse, said on July 25 that food waste in the burned-out area had been cleared and was being moved offsite. Demolition of the remaining warehouse was set to begin this week.
City and county pressure
But the city and neighbors say Lineage is not moving fast enough. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Wednesday it would begin fining Lineage up to $2,000 a day if it did not resolve 'underlying' problems at its facility.
The department has already issued six citations in the past week for unsanitary conditions and pest control issues, totaling $4,500 in fines. A July 28 inspection report noted 'accumulation of decaying organic waste, sludge, and food residue' across the property and nearly 200 living or dead flies in that waste.
Company response
'Our top priority right now is completing the cleanup as quickly and safely as possible,' a Lineage representative said in a statement. 'The application is for a permit to repair the damage from the fire, which was not caused by the cold storage operations at the facility. This is normal course in the repair process and will not impact or distract us from the important work of cleanup.'
