Boyle Heights Response & Recovery

Questions & Answers

Top Questions

  • Lineage has made transparency and open communication a priority throughout the response and recovery effort.

    Within 48 hours we established a public information hub dedicated to the Boyle Heights Response & Recovery. This page is updated frequently so residents can access the latest information on recovery efforts, cleanup progress, air monitoring information, community support resources, and answers to frequently asked questions. We have distributed flyers in the community and run both digital ads and bilingual radio ads to help residents find this page and information.

    In addition, we have issued regular public updates (many of which have been shared by media outlets) and added direct channels (BoyleHeights@onelineage.com, a bilingual phone line, and online request form) for community members to ask questions and share concerns.  

    More photos, videos and cleanup updates are also posted on our dedicated Instagram account – @lineagelospalos – for community members who prefer to get their news from social media.

    While the situation remains fluid, we are committed to providing timely, accurate, and fact-based information to residents and community leaders.

  • Lineage has made transparency and open communication a priority throughout the response and recovery effort. We have maintained ongoing, consistent communication with local, county, state, and federal agencies, as well as elected officials, throughout the entire fire response, cleanup, and recovery process.

    This includes:

    • Publishing daily reports and regularly sharing information regarding site conditions, cleanup activities, air monitoring results, and recovery plans, while also responding to agency and stakeholder questions as part of an ongoing meeting schedule with the Boyle Heights Unified Recovery Command, which includes representatives from many offices and agencies. Those offices and agencies include:
      • The Mayor's Office, Los Angeles City Council offices (including CD-14), the Emergency Management Department, Fire Department, Police Department, Department of Water and Power, Board of Public Works, Recreation and Parks, City Administrative Office, and City Attorney's Office. County participants have included the Office of Emergency Management, Department of Public Health, Department of Public Works, County Fire Department, Board of Supervisors staff, County Counsel, and other county agencies. State and regional partners have included Cal OES, CalEPA, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, among others.
    • Participating in briefings, meetings, and site visits to provide updates and ensure officials have current information about response and recovery efforts. This includes:
      • A weekly meeting with representatives from CD-14, the Mayor’s Office, County Supervisor’s Office, and more than 20 Boyle Heights community organizations including Proyecto Pastoral, Dolores Mission, Inclusive Action, and Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) focused on Lineage’s door-to-door canvassing and community impact efforts.
      • A weekly meeting with representatives from CD-14, the Mayor’s Office, County Supervisor’s Office, LA Emergency Management Department (EMD), LA County Emergency Management (OEM), State Senator’s Office, LAUSD, LAFD and the Department of Public Health to discuss community impact efforts and overall cleanup progress.
    • No agency officials who have requested a site tour or arrived unannounced have been turned away from inspecting the facility firsthand. We believe it is important that officials and regulators understand the complexity and challenges of this situation so we can work cooperatively on the fastest cleanup possible without sacrificing health, safety and regulatory compliance. 


    Our teams are working around the clock on cleanup and recovery and communicating the challenges we face to meet the 45-day deadline set in the Mayor’s executive order. To date, no city, county or state officials have offered resources that would expedite cleanup efforts.

  • Yes. Independent monitoring from Onterris as well as the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is running around the clock at multiple locations in and around Boyle Heights. Readings have consistently shown results within normal levels for the neighborhood and no harmful health impacts. Further, although there may be unpleasant and annoying odors associated with the decaying food products, the bad smell is not associated with any health risk. Air monitoring data is accessible on this page and on aqmd.gov. We want you to have the facts, not just our word.

  • Soon after the fire started, we pumped all the ammonia from our cooling systems and safely transported it offsite. No ammonia was released from the cooling system as a result of the fire, and no ammonia levels have been detected in the community at any time since the fire started that would pose a health risk. We know some neighbors have also asked about methane and hydrogen sulfide — these chemicals are included in our air monitoring. To date, monitoring has not detected levels of these chemicals or particles that pose a health risk. Lastly, while odors that come from decomposing food are unpleasant, we want to confirm that allergens associated with any of these foods are not airborne or distributed as a result of organic decomposition — meaning those with allergies to certain foods are not at greater risk during this period.

  • We have not seen any flareups within the debris since the July 4 weekend. That allowed us to begin deconstruction at the site on July 7. 

    Lineage worked closely with the Los Angeles Fire Department and other agencies to support their efforts to fight the fire and protect the community. To augment their brave and tireless efforts, we leveraged our network to source high-powered water cannons from Texas, funded helicopters to continue water drops, and partnered with other industrial companies to secure additional equipment to speed up fire suppression efforts. 

  • We understand the frustration and share the community’s desire to see the cleanup completed as quickly as possible. From the beginning, our focus has been on moving as fast as we can while making sure the work is done safely and done the right way.


    Cleanup crews are working around the clock to remove food waste, clear debris and dismantle damaged sections of the structure. However, this is a highly complex operation. The warehouse contained approximately 88 million pounds of food, and the fire damaged parts of the structure, making it much more difficult to safely access and remove food debris from much of the building.


    To support the cleanup, we have brought in specialized contractors and equipment from across the country. Much of this equipment was not originally designed for conditions like these, so teams have had to continually adapt their approach as site conditions change.
    Throughout the process, we have been evaluating new strategies, adjusting operations when needed and looking for ways to improve efficiency while reducing impacts on the surrounding community.


    The work is also being carried out under strict safety and environmental requirements and in coordination with local, county, state, and federal agencies. While we are doing everything we can to move quickly, not every aspect of the cleanup is solely within our control. Some activities require agency coordination, approvals, or direction, which can impact the pace of progress. We have also worked to address questions, concerns, and requests from public officials, community groups, and residents throughout the process.


    Senior company leaders are actively involved every day, helping identify and remove barriers that could slow progress. As many of the initial obstacles have been addressed, food removal and overall cleanup efforts are continuing to gain momentum.


    We know everyone wants this site cleaned up as soon as possible. So do we. The Lineage team remains committed to moving the work forward as safely, responsibly and as quickly we can.

  • Reducing odors is a key priority during the cleanup effort. Lineage has already put several odor-control measures in place and is continuing to work with South Coast AQMD to identify additional solutions to reduce odors where possible.


    Current efforts include:
    •    Fixed odor-control spray systems are installed around the building to deodorize the air and odorous material around the site, as well as a tracked robotic spray system.
    •    Odor neutralizer is being applied to waste materials multiple times each day.
    •    Portions of the building are wrapped to help keep odors contained 
    •    Air scrubbers that pull air through carbon filters to help absorb odors are installed on parts of the facility, with more on the way.
    •    Daily cleaning of runoff collection areas, loading zones and drains.
    •    The roll-off bins into which food waste is loaded are sealed immediately once full. These sealed bins then leave as soon as possible. Bins may be staged on site depending on truck route availability; however, they are removed as soon as there is a truck able to do so.
    •    Once trucks are loaded, they promptly leave the facility in accord with approved truck routes. 
     

    Lineage is also continuously monitoring air quality and sharing air-monitoring data with both local regulators and the public. 
     

    We are working as fast as we safely can to get food debris out of the building, and we understand the importance of reducing odors and minimizing impacts on the surrounding community while this essential cleanup work continues at pace. Second only to safety, removing product has been and continues to be our top priority.
     

  • Lineage has expanded its pest-control efforts with support from Orkin to help reduce fly and rodent activity around the site and minimize impacts on nearby residents and businesses.


    Some of the steps currently in place include:
    •    Daily fly-control treatments, with additional service added if needed.
    •    Daily inspections of the property perimeter for signs of rodent activity.
    •    Rodent-control devices installed around the site in strategic locations.
    •    Up to 248 exterior fly-control devices installed, including bait stations and fly traps, to help reduce fly populations.
    •    Targeted fly treatments around dumpsters, loading areas, drainage areas, fence lines, and other locations where flies are most active.
    •    Ongoing monitoring to track pest activity and adjust control measures as needed.
    •    Sanitation and cleanup efforts to remove materials and conditions that can attract pests or create breeding areas.
     

    In response to feedback from families in nearby homes, Lineage has also distributed approximately 350 fly traps to community members and will be providing a further 800 additional traps through its ongoing neighborhood outreach efforts over the next week.
     

    As we move forward, we will continue monitoring conditions, listening to our neighbors’ concerns and adjusting our pest-control efforts as cleanup work progresses.
     

  • We want to be clear that we do not believe this fire was caused by our operations or our team. We believe the fire started on the roof when a contractor of the owner of the solar array, Altus Power, was testing the array. Regardless of how the fire started, Lineage has been on the front lines since day one, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to execute a safe and swift remediation effort.

Further Questions & Answers

  • The cause of the fire has not been determined. We are the tenant-operator of the warehouse building and lease the roof to a third-party solar company, which is responsible for operating and maintaining the array. We believe the fire originated on the roof on Wednesday while the company's subcontractors were servicing the solar array. We are working closely with local officials to assist in all investigations and remediations of the fire and will continue to do so as we continue with cleanup and waste removal.
  • We can confirm that no ammonia was released from the cooling system as a result of the fire, and no measurable ammonia concentrations have been recorded in the community since the fire began that would pose a health risk. We also proactively took steps to pump out the ammonia and transport it offsite, removing the possibility of ammonia posing a risk to the community.

  • Lineage has consistently supported the community throughout the emergency response and subsequent cleanup and recovery efforts. 

    Early on, we were encouraged by local officials to contribute to the California Community Foundation to unlock immediate relief and support to area residents. Accordingly, Lineage donated $2 million to the California Community Foundation which was then distributed to more than 20 organizations providing additional support; view the list here. These groups were funded to provide: air purifiers and PPE, food and household supplies, medical and mental health services, housing assistance, cash assistance, small business support and community outreach. 

    In addition, during those initial weeks, our team directly distributed a further 7,000 meals via the LA Regional Food Bank, over 3,500 meals via food trucks, over 7,000 cases of water and funded food transportation costs for 4 local food pantries. Our team also supplied over 2,000 masks and 600 air purifiers.

    Since then, we have conducted an intentional and systematic program of door-to-door outreach to the households located nearest our facility to offer those families support in the form of: vouchers for short-term housing, grocery vouchers, air purifiers, air conditioning units, and masks. We are also currently working through utility bill support with LADWP and SoCal Edison, as well as a direct cash assistance program to this same group. Residents are eligible for varying levels of support based on their proximity to the facility. 

    Lineage is continuing to explore ways to provide immediate relief while helping lay the foundation for a strong recovery. At the top of our priority list is the ongoing cleanup effort, including removing all food debris from the community as quickly and safely as possible.

  • Lineage provides temperature-controlled warehousing and supply chain solutions for the storage, handling, and movement of food and other temperature-sensitive products. We serve thousands of customers including some of the world’s largest food and beverage producers, retailers, and distributors to help feed the world.

  • To be clear, we do not store hazardous chemicals or products in this facility. We store food. Frozen food products are kept in buildings like ours before being sent to grocery stores and restaurants throughout the community.

    Our warehouse is like a huge version of the freezer in your home. And, like the freezer in your home, our facility requires a basic chemical reaction to reduce the temperature. 

    Ammonia is the chemical that allows us to cool our building. 

    Ammonia is the dominant refrigerant in the cold storage industry—with industry reports estimating it in use at over 90% of refrigerated warehousing facilities in the United States 

    Ammonia is naturally occurring and is considered the more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to other synthetic refrigerants, which generate potent greenhouse gases. Ammonia has been assessed as having zero global warming potential (GWP)—in other words, ammonia does not contribute to the greenhouse effect responsible for global warming.

  • Cold storage is a critical part of the global food supply chain. Maintaining the proper temperature helps protect food quality and safety, reduce waste, and enables products to move efficiently from producers and importers to the communities they feed. Although they operate behind the scenes, cold storage facilities play an important role in helping keep food moving safely from where it’s grown or produced to grocery stores, restaurants, and communities. 

  • The facility supports a variety of roles that help keep food moving on its journey to your table, including warehouse operations, logistics and transportation coordination, maintenance, customer support, and administrative functions. 

    We are grateful to report that all employees were safely evacuated and no injuries have been reported. The safety of our employees, partners and surrounding community remains our highest priority.

    We are supporting team members impacted by providing resources through our Employee Assistance Program and having them report to other buildings in our network where possible. 

  • The Big Bear facility located in Boyle Heights is part of Lineage's Southern California network, which helps support the movement of temperature-controlled products through one of the nation's most important trade gateways. Located near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the facility is part of a network that helps connect food products to 10M people in communities throughout Southern California and beyond. 

  • Southern California is home to the largest import hub in the U.S. Products like seafood, pork, beef, and poultry from major markets around the globe travel through here for regional distribution for West Coast grocery stores, restaurants, and more. Facilities like Big Bear help maintain the cold chain by keeping temperature-sensitive products at the proper temperature as they move through the food supply chain. From arrival at port to their next destination, these facilities help ensure products are handled safely and efficiently while preserving quality and freshness. 

  • We know the smell is upsetting, and reducing odors is a key priority during the cleanup effort. Lineage has already put several odor-control measures in place and is continuing to work with South Coast AQMD to identify additional solutions to reduce odors where possible. Please see above for more details about the steps we are taking to control odors.

    Using an air purifier in your home and wearing a mask while outside can help with the odor. Masks and air purifiers are available at no charge to residents through multiple city and county agencies. We have compiled a list of resources for your convenience:


    In addition, Lineage is providing direct assistance to residents living closest to the site. If you are located between Los Palos Street and S Herbert Ave., and between I-5 and Union Pacific Ave., you can request an air purifier and masks from our Community Outreach team.

    How to get them: Fill out this form with your name and information and we will happily deliver masks and purifiers to neighborhood residents.

Looking for More Information?

Click below for community resources, frequently asked questions, progress updates and additional resources.

Learn More About Boyle Heights Response