A Major Fire Breaks Out in Boyle Heights
On June 17, 2026, a fire broke out at the Lineage Logistics cold storage facility in Boyle Heights, located at 1400 S. Los Palos Street. The facility is a large warehouse, approximately 490,000 square feet, built in 2018.
The Los Angeles Fire Department received the first call at approximately 2:30 p.m. Firefighters went up on the roof. They pulled back when a ruptured ammonia line released gas and set off small explosions inside the building. Within hours, crews called in helicopter water drops to reach areas they couldn’t get to from the ground. As of today, firefighters remain on site managing flare-ups. The fire is not out.
Evacuations, Shelter Orders and a Growing Air Quality Problem
Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order shortly after the fire began. The order covered an area of Boyle Heights generally bounded by the 101 Freeway, Washington Boulevard, Soto Street, and Indiana Street. Approximately 70 residents were evacuated from nearby streets.
Authorities lifted the shelter order that evening, then put it back in place the next day after crews found a hidden pocket of fire still burning inside the building.
As the fire grew, so did the air quality problem. Air monitors detected hydrogen fluoride a toxic gas linked to burning lithium-ion batteries. Regional air quality agencies issued advisories across central Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Valley, and surrounding communities.
Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles County on Saturday June 20. Mayor Bass had done the same earlier that day.
Smoke affected a wide portion of Los Angeles County. At times, air quality reached levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups and, in some locations, was more severe. Local officials closed parks, pools, and children’s activities as a precaution and advised residents to limit exposure. On June 22, the Los Angeles Unified School District relocated Dean Elementary, Dacotah Early Education Center, Eastman Early Education Center, and Stevenson Middle School to alternate campuses because of air quality concerns. The fire was still burning when those decisions were made.
What Was Released
The fire released ammonia from the facility’s refrigeration systems. As it burned, it released more.
Air monitors also picked up hydrogen fluoride — a sign that lithium-ion batteries were burning, likely from forklifts and other warehouse equipment. Elevated bromine and chlorine were also detected in the plume. The fire also raised concerns about particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and heavy metals in the air downwind of the facility. Testing continues.
Regulators say their testing has not identified specific chemical concentrations above what a large structural fire would typically produce. That is not the same as saying the air was safe. The South Coast Air Quality Management District confirmed that fine particle pollution — PM2.5 — reached levels rated unhealthy for sensitive groups to very unhealthy across central Los Angeles County and the San Gabriel Valley.
This Location Has Burned Before
This was not the first fire at this location. On August 14, 2024, a fire occurred on the same roof and was extinguished within a relatively short period of time.
The 2026 fire started in the same area and became a far larger and more destructive event. If Lineage knew about the 2024 fire and didn’t fix what caused it, that matters.
The Fire is Still Not Out
As of June 22, the fire has been burning for several days. Crews have made progress on exterior portions of the structure but continue to address fire within interior sections of the building.
Parts of the structure remain unstable due to roof collapse and internal storage systems. Firefighters are proceeding cautiously as they work to access remaining pockets of fire.
Smoke from the fire has spread across Los Angeles and beyond. Air quality officials expect the impacts to last several more days.
Holding Those Responsible Accountable
California law requires property owners and operators to exercise reasonable care. That includes how they store and manage materials that can harm surrounding communities when something goes wrong.
When a facility has already burned once, the operator can’t claim they didn’t know there was a risk. The 2024 fire put Lineage on notice. What they did — or didn’t do — after that will be central to this case.
People who were exposed to smoke and toxic releases, forced to evacuate, or suffered property damage or economic losses may have claims against those responsible.
To hold those responsible accountable for the Boyle Heights fire and any resulting harms, individuals affected by the incident should consider contacting an attorney.
If you have been affected by the Boyle Heights warehouse fire, contact Danko Meredith for a free consultation.