A cold storage facility on South Los Palos Street burned this afternoon.
A fire broke out this afternoon at a large cold storage facility in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, sending a thick column of black smoke into the sky and prompting a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding neighborhood. The Boyle Heights fire began shortly before 2:30 p.m. at the building at 1400 South Los Palos Street, which is operated by Lineage, a logistics company offering cold storage, customs brokerage, and intermodal services at that location.
Los Angeles Fire Department crews initially attacked the blaze from an offensive position and appeared to make progress before the fire intensified significantly. By approximately 3:25 p.m., crews were ordered off the roof and out of the building’s interior as flames spread across the solar panels on the roof. The department confirmed the transition to defensive operations in a statement.
The Los Angeles Police Department went on tactical alert in connection with the fire.
Shelter-in-place boundaries at Boyle Heights
The LAPD issued a shelter-in-place order directing residents and workers in the immediate area to go inside, close all windows and doors, turn off air conditioning and heating systems, and move to an interior room with vents closed. The order cited proximity to hazardous materials and instructed people to remain inside until further notice. It covered the area north of Holabird Avenue, south of the Golden State Freeway, east of Soto Street, and west of South Indiana Street.
No injuries had been reported as of this evening in Boyle Heights. The cause of the Boyle Heights fire was under investigation.