Crews have removed the bulk of decaying food from a fire-damaged cold storage warehouse in Boyle Heights, completing a key stage of the post-incident cleanup. The facility at 1400 S. Los Palos St. had held more than 85 million pounds of food when the roof fire began on June 17.
The blaze lasted several days and left behind inventory that spoiled rapidly, producing strong odors and attracting rodents and insects in nearby neighborhoods. According to FOX 11 Los Angeles, residents have continued to report these conditions more than a month later.
South Coast Air Quality Management District staff verified on site that the large-scale waste extraction had ended. This confirmation starts a required seven-day window for Lineage Logistics to finish the remaining site work under regulatory oversight.
"Today, South Coast AQMD's enforcement team was on site at Lineage Logistics in Boyle Heights and confirmed that Lineage has completed removal of the bulk food waste, marking the completion of a major phase of cleanup following weeks of persistent odors impacting surrounding communities," the district stated.
"With all bulk food waste removed, the 7-day clock has started for Lineage to complete final clean-up activities," the agency added. Lineage Logistics has said it expects to spend more than $100 million on the overall effort and has deployed all available resources to the task.
The Los Angeles City Council has already approved five motions directing city departments to address neighborhood effects after missed deadlines. Its Planning and Land Use Management Committee has recommended withholding reconstruction permits and increasing possible fines to as much as $1 million.
It remains uncertain when the full council will act on those recommendations. Residents have called for stronger measures, including a mandatory evacuation order, while regulators have not yet specified the exact steps required in the final cleanup phase.
This report is based on coverage by FOX 11 Los Angeles: https://www.foxla.com/news/lineage-logistics-boyle-heights-warehouse-cleanup-complete