Latest Updates: Lineage Warehouse Fire Recovery and Resources for Impacted Residents

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LOS ANGELES - Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, and City partners today provided the latest updates on the warehouse owner's plan to remove 85 million pounds of rotting food debris from the Lineage warehouse in Boyle Heights as well as ongoing efforts related to air and water testing at the site, pest control, and resources available for the community, including supplies, a community resource center, and financial assistance.

"Environmental hazards from industrial disasters too often fall on communities like Boyle Heights," said Mayor Bass. "Those responsible will be held accountable, and the City is working with an array of organizations to provide resources to the families and business owners who desperately need them. The ongoing recovery and remediation will be shaped by the people who call this community home."

"The fire may be knocked down, but this crisis is not over for the families, workers, students, and small businesses living with the odor, pests, truck traffic, and uncertainty left behind," said Councilmember Jurado. "As 85 million pounds of spoiled food are removed from this site, my priority is making sure the cleanup is safe, transparent, and accountable to the people of Boyle Heights - not just to the agencies or the company responsible for this property. Residents deserve clear testing results, strong public health protections, real resources, and a recovery process shaped by the community most impacted. I'm grateful to Mayor Bass, City departments, County agencies, and our community partners for working alongside us, and I will continue fighting to ensure Boyle Heights gets the answers, protections, and long-term environmental justice it deserves."

On June 20, Mayor Bass issued a Declaration of Local Emergency which was followed by an emergency declaration from Governor Newsom. These declarations mobilized resources and allowed the Mayor to ensure the City has adequate support and capacity to respond. In response to the State of Emergency, the LAFD successfully acquired critical mutual aid from various partners, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the Fire Departments of Beverly Hills, Culver City, and Orange, as well as Anaheim Fire and Rescue, the Ventura County Fire Department, and additional agencies. LAFD officially announced the knockdown of the fire on Wednesday, June 24.

Los Angeles City Fire Department

LAFD is currently executing its Incident Action Plan (IAP). The IAP includes LAFD fire crews maintaining "firewatch" 24 hours a day on rotating deployment periods. These crews will engage in fire suppression if significant flare-ups occur.

The property owner has contracted with a private fire company that is continuing to flow water utilizing a water cannon to ensure the smoldering areas in the center of the building don't flare up significantly. They will remain on site throughout the duration of the remediation process to handle smoldering areas, as needed.

The LAFD Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) will remain engaged during the remediation process to oversee any hazardous waste removal, such as lithium ion batteries.

Guidance from LA County Public Health:

• How to Clean Up Smoke and Soot from a Fire: Information for Los Angeles County Residents (PDF, English)

• Cómo limpiar el humo y el hollín de un incendio: Información para personas que viven en el Condado de Los Ángeles (PDF, Español)

Removal of 85 Million Pounds of Food

Lineage and its contractors began moving food debris stored at the warehouse on Sunday, June 28. This food debris is being transported to landfills outside of Los Angeles in Ventura and Riverside Counties. The trucks will avoid residential streets, travelling along existing hauling routes already used by a nearby recycling facility. This will help limit the impact of a steady stream of trucks on the surrounding neighborhoods. Lineage anticipates that they will need to remove 5,000 truckloads of food debris from the site.

Odor Mitigation

In line with other warehouses or businesses that might cause an odor, such as a fishery or cattle farm, Lineage is currently testing the use of chlorine dioxide as a deodorizer to apply to food debris as it is removed from the building onto trucks and wrapped in a water vapor barrier. At the same time, misters are being installed within the warehouse to deodorize the remaining food until it is moved off site. Each truck will also undergo deodorization as it leaves the warehouse.

Impacted residents can report odors, smoke, and other air quality issues to South Coast AQMD by calling 1-800-CUT-SMOG (1-800-288-7664), via the online complaint portal at www.aqmd.gov, or through their mobile app. South Coast AQMD responds to all air quality complaints received from the public. Agency partners are working with the facility to assist with identifying odor mitigation measures to minimize impacts to Boyle Heights and the surrounding communities.

Guidance from LA County Public Health:

• Environmental Odors: What You Should Know, Information for Los Angeles County Residents (PDF, English)

• Olores ambientales: Lo que debe saber, información para personas que viven en el condado de Los Ángeles (PDF, Español)

Pest Control

Lineage has contracted with Orkin and Signal Restoration Services to manage any pests that might enter the warehouse. Lineage is developing a plan to continue to manage pest issues in and around the warehouse.

Outside of the warehouse, Cats USA, a pest control contractor for the City of Los Angeles, has conducted a pest assessment at the direction of Mayor Bass, and traps will be placed around the perimeter of the warehouse as well as on adjacent residential streets. Cats USA will monitor the traps three times a day and will adjust the frequency if needed.

Air Quality Testing

Currently, SCAQMD is conducting continuous air monitoring for particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter (PM 2.5) in real-time at Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School and Eastman Avenue Elementary School. All data is being fed into SCAQMD's air quality map that can be found at www.AQMD.gov or by downloading the South Coast AQMD mobile app.

Lineage contracted with Onterris to conduct real-time air monitoring in the community surrounding the site, in coordination and with oversight by SCAQMD, for the following:

• Carbon monoxide (CO)

• Atmospheric flammability measured as a percentage of the lower explosive limit (%LEL)

• Ammonia (NH3)

• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

• Atmospheric oxygen percentage (O2)

• Fine particulate matter measuring less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5)

• Coarse particulate matter measuring less than 10 micrometers (PM10)

• Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

• Total volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Lineage is developing a Community Air Monitoring plan that will be submitted to SCAQMD for review and approval. Currently, Onterris is conducting stationary air monitoring at eight locations and roaming, real-time air monitoring using handheld direct-reading instruments throughout the community. The eight stationary locations include Humphreys Avenue Elementary; Ford Boulevard Elementary School; Maywood Elementary School; near 4355 Downey Road; Christopher Dena Elementary School; Lorena Street Elementary School; Eastman Avenue Elementary School; and Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School. Onterris is submitting results daily to SCAQMD.

Guidance from LA County Public Health:

• Air Quality and Health Guidance: What to Do (PDF, English)

• Guía sobre la Calidad del Aire y la Salud: Qué Hacer (PDF, Spanish)

• What to do when there's Smoke in the Air (PDF, English)

• Qué hacer cuando hay humo en el aire (PDF, Spanish)

Drinking Water Testing

LADWP continues to vigorously test and monitor water quality multiple times a day in the area to ensure the safety of the water for residents. Current testing shows that tap water is safe for the Boyle Heights community.

Stormwater and Groundwater Testing

The City's Department of Sanitation (LASAN) is monitoring the water flow coming from the building during the fire fighting activities. The LASAN Watershed Protection Division is currently testing samples of water that were entering the storm drain system near Nokes Street and Indiana Street.

All water leaving the property enters a City of Los Angeles catch basin that leads into an LA County storm drain system. The LA County storm drain travels directly to the Los Angeles River and outfalls near Downey Road and Bandini Boulevard. The LASAN Environmental Monitoring Division is conducting analysis for the presence of the following: Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Selenium, Silver, Thallium, Vanadium, and Zinc.

LASAN has utilized containment tanks, eco dams, catch basin protectors, and vector trucks to capture, contain, and pump runoff to the sewer system for treatment. LASAN will continue to monitor and enforce compliance to prevent illicit discharges from the site and ensure that all water is properly removed and treated.

Street Closures and Traffic Management Plan
Indiana Street between Union Pacific Avenue and Noakes Street remains closed to accommodate trucks and heavy equipment. Lineage hired a private contractor to develop a traffic management plan for neighboring streets that LADOT will review and approve.

Community Resource Center: The Lou Costello Jr. Recreation Center, located at 3141 E. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90023, opened Saturday, June 27, and will be open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM until further notice. This Community Resource Center will serve as a centralized location where residents and businesses of Boyle Heights and nearby communities can obtain air purifiers, food kits, financial assistance, help transitioning to a new job, health services, and access to various recovery resources and City and County programs.

Additional Resources for Impacted Residents

• Air Purifiers and Masks: With the help of local partners, the City has distributed thousands of air purifiers and masks to impacted residents, with thousands more scheduled for delivery and distribution this week. Air purifiers and masks will continue to be available at the Community Resource Center, located at 3141 E. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90023.

• Transportation: LADOT is making temporary service adjustments to serve Boyle Heights residents, offering additional free buses in the area. Two additional buses have been added to the Boyle Heights DASH route, operating daily with free service every 10-15 minutes until further notice.

• Voluntary Relief Center: The City shelter at Pecan Recreation Center (145 S Pecan Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033) will transition to day-time use only and return to regular youth programming. Residents are welcome to use the center during the day for refuge and to connect with available resources. Pets are welcome. For full assistance, residents are encouraged to go to the Community Resource Center (see above).

• Resident Support through Community Based Organizations: The Mayor and City are working in coordination with organizations supporting the community. In partnership with the California Community Foundation, more than $1.5 million has been raised and granted to more than 20 community partners to support immediate relief for impacted residents and businesses. With these funds, the following community organizations are providing services including but not limited to medical assistance, food assistance, health resources and financial assistance:

  • Adventist Health White Memorial

  • AltaMed

  • Barrio Action Youth & Family Center

  • Boyle Heights YouthSource Center

  • Centro de Ayuda

  • Clinica Romero

  • East LA Community Corporation

  • East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice

  • Esperanza Community Housing Corporation

  • Housing Equity & Advocacy Resource Team

  • Inclusive Action for the City

  • 211LA

  • Inner City Struggle

  • LAUSD Education Foundation

  • Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

  • Mexican American Opportunity Foundation

  • Meztli Projects

  • New Economics for Women - Business Source Center

  • Proyecto Pastoral

  • St. John's Community Health

  • The Salvation Army Southern California Division

  • Via Care Community Health Center

  • YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles

Los Angeles Unified (Region East) School Relocation

Out of an abundance of caution, the following schools will be relocated to alternate school sites through July 2, 2026:

• Christopher Dena Elementary School

  • Relocation Site: Sunrise Elementary School (2821 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, 90023)

• Dacotah Early Education Center

  • Relocation Site: Sunrise Elementary School (2821 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, 90023)

• Eastman Avenue Early Education Center

  • Relocation Site: Humphreys Avenue Elementary School (500 S. Humphreys Ave., Los Angeles, 90022)

• Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School

  • Relocation Site: Belvedere Middle School (312 N. Record Ave., Los Angeles, 90063)