- đź“Ś A fire at the Lineage cold storage warehouse on June 17 burned for eight days, leaving 85 million pounds of rotting food and causing a surge in ER visits.
- đź“Ś Residents report unbearable stench, swarming rodents, and health issues; ER visits tripled within a 10-mile radius during the fire.
- đź“Ś Mayor Karen Bass ordered the cleanup of biohazardous waste within 45 days, but residents are skeptical and demand the facility be permanently shut down.
- đź“Ś Lineage has hired remediation teams and pest control, but community members cite environmental injustice and racism, noting the impact on a predominantly Latino neighborhood.
Introduction
A group of Boyle Heights residents and community organizers rallied Thursday to demand the permanent closure of the Lineage Logistics cold storage warehouse, which caught fire on June 17 and has since blanketed the neighborhood in smoke, a putrid odor, and an influx of rodents. The fire, which burned for eight days, left 85 million pounds of rotting food inside the 500,000-square-foot facility, creating a public health crisis that has drawn comparisons to environmental racism.
Main Content
Community Outcry and Health Impacts
At a rally on the corner of La Puerta Street and Olympic Boulevard, about 50 residents and organizers chanted in Spanish, “Que se vayan!” (“They should go!”). Alma Lagunas, a resident and community organizer, told the Los Angeles Times, “It’s really hard for us to be living like this. Lineage needs to clean up and never [come] back.” Carlos Montes, another resident, labeled the situation “environmental racism,” stating, “This is not permitted in the rich white communities.”
Health data from the L.A. County Department of Public Health shows a dramatic spike in emergency room visits. From June 17 to June 25, ER visits from patients within 10 miles of the warehouse tripled, with complaints mentioning fire or smoke inhalation. On June 21, there was a one-day surge in throat pain complaints within five miles. Soledad Martinez, a 77-year-old resident of 45 years, told the LA Times the odor is so strong it’s like “sticking her head inside an old trash can.”
At the rally, residents laid out a list of demands, including the permanent closure of the facility, a complete environmental investigation, thorough cleanup, and housing relief. MarĂa Juaregui, a Boyle Heights resident, said, “I will not allow you to ignore us anymore. I will advocate for our community and for my father, who can't speak up for himself. The cleanup needs to get done now.” A man in his 90s told Eyewitness News that he can't go outside because of the stench, and his family is worried about his physical and emotional well-being.
Lineage did not comment on the demand for its closure but pointed to a letter on its website stating they have hired one of the most experienced remediation firms for cleanup and are conducting air monitoring at locations including nearby schools.
She also described the smell as sometimes like burning chicken and feathers, and said, “In all the years I’ve lived here, I’ve never seen something so awful. My question is, when will this be over? We can’t live like this.”
Maria Jauregui, a 62-year-old resident who lives about four houses from the Lineage site, said she lives with her elderly father, who cannot go outside, talk to neighbors or sit by their home’s orange tree to relax because of the smell. She herself recently went to the emergency room because she was having difficulty breathing.
Contractors at the warehouse on Thursday had already placed fans and misters around the burned remains of the building, which had its walls torn down so firefighters could spray water into the structure. Sagging containers and bags filled with food sat inside on metal racks. Contractors could be seen putting up long white coverings in place of the missing walls.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents the area, understands why some residents would demand the closure of the warehouse, according to a spokesperson. “No community should be expected to simply return to business as usual while residents are still dealing with odor, rotting food, debris removal, vermin concerns, and unanswered questions about what happened,” the spokesperson said in a statement. Jurado’s current focus is to ensure the cleanup happens safely and quickly.
Neighbors say they can't sleep because of the smell. "They're demanding environmental studies. We don't know the long-term effects or side effects that this fire could bring to the people," said Elizabeth Hernandez of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. "They are sick and tired and they definitely do not want any more of these warehouses in the community at all," said Hernandez.
Lineage sent FOX11 a statement saying in part: "This site is used to store and distribute frozen food - not hazardous materials... Additionally, our team quickly removed ammonia from the facility, with no concentrations of ammonia being detected in the air at any time since the fire began." An open letter from the company's CEO to the community said they are working to address the smell, pests, and waste removal. He could not say how long the cleanup would take.
Among the protesters was a 9-year-old boy who spoke emotionally about the impact on his family. He said he can't play outside or open windows because of the smell, and he worries about his grandmother's health. "I want the warehouse to close forever so we can breathe clean air," he said.
Cleanup Efforts and Timeline
Lineage Logistics CEO Greg Lehmkuhl stated that the company has hired Signal Restoration Services and Clean Harbor to work 24/7, installing misting systems and conducting real-time air quality monitoring at eight neighborhood locations, especially near schools. The company is also working with Orkin to address pests. An estimated 5,000 truckloads of debris need to be removed, and a traffic management contractor has been hired to avoid residential streets.
Mayor Karen Bass signed executive orders mandating that Lineage complete the cleanup within 45 days. However, residents like Yesenia Adame expressed skepticism: “I don’t know if they’re being 100% truthful or realistic about the time frame. This is not our fault, but we’re living with the consequences of their negligence.”
Community Support and Air Purifier Distribution
In partnership with Fuente Learning Center, Breathe Southern California distributed free air purifiers to families. Jonathan Mercado of Breathe Southern California said, “We were able to procure 3,000 air purifiers that we’ve committed to the Boyle Heights community, and we’ve distributed in two days approximately almost 800 air purifiers.” Residents like Cecilia Cruz, who reported seeing rats in the streets, said the purifiers provide peace of mind: “They are really expensive. They're like $120, and we don't have $120 to spare with two little ones and my grandma too.”
New Mobile Health Clinic
A new mobile health clinic has launched in Boyle Heights to provide medical services to residents affected by the warehouse fire, as some community members continue to report health concerns tied to the incident.
Leaders Demand Action
On July 4, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, County Supervisor Hilda Solis, and City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado sent a scathing letter to Lineage Inc. CEO Greg Lehmkuhl, accusing the company of failing to commit to “the most basic steps of sharing comprehensive, real-time data about the volume of rotting food and debris being removed from the site.” The letter came one day after planned demolition work was halted at the facility, with Lineage officials citing concerns about preserving evidence amid the ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire. The letter states that Bass “is fully prepared to deploy the full measure of her executive power to champion and protect the community of Boyle Heights, as well as unincorporated East Los Angeles, in partnership with Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, who took action through an urgency motion on June 23.”
The leaders listed several demands, including: providing immediate temporary housing at no cost to affected residents until a longer-term solution is secured; creating a smoke and toxin remediation program at no cost to residents and businesses; funding federally qualified community health centers providing mobile medical clinics; establishing a community notification schedule with 48-hour advance notice of major hauling activities; establishing a dedicated multilingual hotline and claims center; and committing Lineage leaders to attend community meetings. The first two community meetings are scheduled for July 6 and July 9.
The letter also demanded detailed plans within specific timeframes, including a comprehensive material removal schedule not to exceed 90 days for full interior clearance, a complete daily manifest of all materials removed, detailed odor and vector control plans, fire water runoff management plans, air quality monitoring plans with real-time data reported to SCAQMD, plans for removal of hazardous materials including asbestos, identification of all engaged waste haulers and remediation firms, and retention of a certified industrial hygienist. “To date, despite many requests, we have yet to receive detailed and complete plans,” the letter states.
Private Meeting with Lineage
On July 6, City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado organized a private meeting between Lineage executives and a coalition of community leaders to demand financial, social, and health-related support. “We brought Lineage to the table today because the era of corporate silence in Boyle Heights is over,” Jurado said. “For three weeks, residents have breathed in the consequences of this fire while waiting for basic answers. We are drawing a line in the sand: public health comes before corporate convenience.”
The residents shared their demands directly with Lineage, asking for “emergency housing support, smoke and toxin remediation, relief for small businesses and street vendors, funding for community health providers, stronger community notification, and clear, science-based information throughout the recovery,” according to Jurado’s office. Representatives from Lineage attended the meeting and heard directly from impacted residents and business owners. Jurado said the company did not provide concrete public commitments, funding amounts or implementation timelines for the relief and recovery measures requested. A representative for Lineage did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Following the meeting, Jurado and some residents held a press conference outside Boyle Heights City Hall to share details on the discussion, the priorities presented, the company’s response, and the next steps in the recovery effort.
Local California Context
Boyle Heights, a predominantly Latino neighborhood in Los Angeles County, has long been home to industrial facilities near residential areas. Residents note that warehouse fires are a recurring issue. Andrew Contreras told ABC7, “We're used to it in Boyle Heights, because if you look down Olympic that way, there’s how many warehouses that have been burned down already that didn’t get the same coverage.” The Lineage facility had been operating for over 20 years, employing thousands, but the fire has reignited debates about environmental justice and the siting of hazardous facilities in low-income communities of color.
Conclusion
As cleanup continues, Boyle Heights residents remain vigilant, demanding accountability and a permanent end to the warehouse’s operations. Mayor Bass has pledged to hold those responsible accountable, and health clinics are offering services through Friday. The community’s resilience is evident, but the path to recovery—and justice—remains uncertain.