Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles declared a local emergency in response to a warehouse fire that started on Wednesday, generating heavy smoke across the city. The emergency declaration aims to secure additional state resources for the complex operation at the Lineage Logistics cold-storage facility. Fire officials highlighted the challenges posed by the building’s construction and its contents, including solar panels and a refrigeration system using ammonia.
The fire, which involved solar panels and ammonia, led to an early hazardous-materials response. Crews took measures to address the chemical threat by shutting down valves and removing ammonia from the site. Concerns now focus on the large quantity of frozen food stored in the facility and the potential environmental and public health risks if the products begin to decay. The Los Angeles Fire Department emphasized the difficulties faced in directly combating the blaze due to interior hazards and poor visibility, leading to reliance on exterior firefighting methods.
Firefighters have been working to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby areas, using aerial ladder pipes and helicopter water drops to cool the building. Despite the widespread smell of smoke in the city, no evacuation orders were issued as of Saturday. Authorities advised residents, especially vulnerable groups, to minimize exposure to the smoke. Lineage Logistics, the building’s tenant, suggested that the fire may have started during testing of the solar array on the roof, with investigations ongoing to determine the exact cause.
